Renegade Hearts
by Kaline Reine
Summary: After meeting a mysterious man at a bar one night, Robin's life takes a turn for the strange... Everywhere she goes, fate cannot seem to let her escape him. With every passing meeting, she and Ace grow more trusting of each other, until eventually they make a secret pact together. What will become of the two lonely renegades, who only seek solace in each other? Ace x Robin!
1. Chapter 1

**Renegade Hearts**  
><strong>by Kaline Reine<strong>

**Disclaimer: I do not own One Piece or any of the characters/settings. This is just a fanfiction story. I claim nothing.**

**WARNINGS: This story contains (or may contain) graphic adult content and language, explicit sex scenes which may or may not be consensual, violence, cursing, dark and/or adult themes, suicide, death, triggery topics, etc. I do not censor my writing, but I do warn people about the subject matter and potential subject matter. Not all of my stories contain such things, but many of them will. So if you don't like that kind of thing or can't handle it, then I suggest not reading this story. You have been warned. **

**In other words, children please avert your eyes. Thank you.**

* * *

><p><strong>Chapter 1: <strong>

His eyes followed her, as she made her way toward the door. He hated to watch her leave. And yet, he had to, time and again. Every day she'd come in to report to him, follow his orders, obediently following his every command. He was the brains and the brawn behind the operation. She was the silent puller of strings, the one he sent so that no one would ever know his identity... That was their agreement.

It's not like she didn't get anything in return. In exchange for her unquestioning loyalty, Crocodile would provide her with a place to stay, a warm roof over her head and enough money to provide herself with ample hot meals. As long as she would stay with him... He would have done almost anything to keep her there. Of course, he'd never tell her that. He couldn't afford to let his secret out, especially when he didn't know what her reaction would be. She would most likely never speak to him again, if she ever knew the true depths of his affections.

And so he doted on the girl, blaming it on no other reason than her undying, unfathomable loyalty to him... Nevermind that he could have easily accomplished all of this without her. Well, maybe not. Nico Robin had proven herself to be very useful to him, time and time again. She was also the only person capable of reviving a certain lost something... Something lost long ago, swallowed up by time itself... Something that he felt should be _his._

She herself was no idiot. Robin knew perfectly well what a criminal the man she worked for was. Why else would he go to such lengths to remain anonymous, as the leader of the criminal organization she had so willingly joined? No one else knew who he was. They saw him as a hero, the savior of Alabasta. They all cheered for him and welcomed him as a blessing. If only the people knew the truth... But she was well paid for her silence.

The 'Devil Woman', as she'd often been called by others, was also well aware that he had some kind of hidden agenda... There was something he wasn't telling her. And she couldn't trust him until she knew what it was. She could be very patient, also knowing that the truth would reveal itself, in time. But she swore to herself in silence that he would sorely regret the day he chose to hand her over to the World Government, if such a day should ever come.

Many people she'd trusted had betrayed her in the past. As a result, Nico Robin was the type of woman who was only out for self-interest. She trusted no one. She didn't seem capable of such a thing, and had never seen the point in it. What she wanted to help everyone, to do what she could for the common good, through any means necessary. Even if the way she chose to go about things was by taking a criminal path. She'd never done a thing wrong in her life, and yet she'd lived the majority of her life on the run from people who condemned her just for existing.

Crocodile took a deep drag off of his cigar, watching the smoke dance over her familiar form. He noticed she was turning in early for the night. Robin was always so business-like, and despite her calm demeanor, nothing got past her keen perceptions. She was very useful to him, as a spy, and her devil fruit abilities added an even more valuable flair. There were also two other reasons he'd chosen to keep her around, but he didn't have to answer to anyone. There was little chance of anyone finding out, and even if they did, there was no one left who would be able to oppose him. Not the King, not the rebels, not the general populace... _No one._

The common citizens of Alabasta posed zero threat to him. He was revered as a hero here. They had already teamed up and used his control over Baroque Works and other tactics to make the King of Alabasta look very very bad. His people would only put up with that for so long. And as he'd always wanted, there was a rebellion brewing on the outskirts of their little country.

"All of the pieces are almost in place," He growled, talking with the cigar still stuffed in his grinning mouth.

If Robin hadn't had so much self-control, she would have rolled her eyes. He'd certainly been aptly-named... Instead, she turned to him with a small smile. "Won't be long now. Is there anything else I can do for you for tonight, or are we done here?"

"Now, now... That's no way to address someone of my social standing. Where are your manners?"

"Probably wherever yours crawled off to when you started ogling me."

No one else would ever have dared to speak to the man that way. Robin knew his boundaries well. After all, she'd been working with him for many years now. She'd been his personal assistant for a long time, catering to his every whim and doing practically whatever he asked of her.

"Alright, fair enough. Get out of here..." He grumbled, once again resigning to the fact that she couldn't be more disinterested in him.

"Gladly."

And with that, she resumed her stride, headed straight for the door... Tonight she was going out for dinner, alone as per the usual. It wasn't that different from any other night. After hours, she was free to do whatever she wanted, unless summoned.

Robin never got close to anyone. She couldn't let anyone near her for fear they'd turn her in to the Marines. Or they could find out about Crocodile and their criminal partnership, and that wouldn't be good for either of them. The woman had a huge bounty, far higher than most. For eighty million beri, even the most trustworthy of people were highly likely to turn her in. The World Government was already on the lookout for her. That was why she'd chosen to join Baroque Works in the first place. The top secret agency promised her complete anonymity and a safe place to hide. That was all she needed.

He almost took pity on the poor girl... _Almost._

"Goodnight sweetcheeks." He smiled, taking another drag from his cigar, and staring at her feminine form as she sauntered toward the big doors that led into his office. "Report in first thing tomorrow."

"Understood. 'Night boss." Robin left, with the same air of confidence that she'd always had. Nothing had ever stood in her way. She refused to let it.

She let the thick doors slam closed behind her.

* * *

><p>No heads turned when the Devil Woman slipped into the bar. She was virtually unnoticed. If only they knew... Nico Robin was actually far more dangerous than any of them realized. It was obvious just by her body language that she wasn't scared at all. Unafraid to dine with merchants, renegades, or pirates, she strode right in and lazily slumped down onto one of the empty bar stools.<p>

It was classic. A seedy little wooden bar out in the middle of nowhere, in some nowhere town... From looking at the outside of it, one would think no one came here very much. But the bar seemed to be bustling with patrons on this evening, and most evenings when she came here. She'd only been a few times, and wasn't sure what to expect yet. A man in the corner was belting out a mean piano solo. It was intended to sound lively, but to Robin it sounded eerie, almost haunting somehow.

Everything was old and dusty inside, the bar having been built on a creaky old boardwalk near the ocean. She'd always admired the ocean... But right now, the Baroque Works agent had bigger things to worry about. With this upcoming job she was supposed to be helping her boss with, she would certainly have her hands full. It may not even be safe for her to just go out and drink like this, whenever she wants, in the coming weeks. No... She'd have to lay low for a while.

_'It pisses me off...' _She hated not being able to do what she wanted. She was in this whole thing for the freedom, but somehow she never quite got what she desired most. It was highly irritating. That, along with the fact that she hadn't been able to continue her research lately, was especially grating on her nerves.

Her hand hit the bar with a loud thump. "Hit me!" The strange woman said, drawing the Bartender's attention.

"What'll it be, miss?"

"Don't call me miss," She smirked to herself. "Please. And I'll have a scotch on the rocks."

It was obvious that this establishment had been around for quite a while, yet she hadn't made it a habit to frequent just one place every time she went out. It wasn't easy to find nice places to get a drink in Alabasta. She was running out of options. For now, Robin had to make do with what she had. She couldn't really afford to be seen in the same place too many times in a row. She didn't like for people to be able to read her habits.

She'd already enjoyed her dinner alone at a little restaurant she knew of, as always. No one ever joined her. She seemed to enjoy her solitude and never thought much about it. Tonight she was wearing a low cut purple dress, the one with black lace along the bottom. Her black boots completed the Gothic inspired look quite well. She was in a somewhat dark mood tonight, so it suited her. She just wished she'd had a black rose or something for her hair...

"Oh, opting to appear classy are we?" The bartender retorted, remarking about her choice of drink. He didn't seem very full of life and vigor, himself. He appeared to be making a vague attempt at conversation.

"If _that's_ your idea of a classy drink, I'd hate to see what you typically serve around this dive. Don't bother trying to impress little old me though. I won't be in town much longer."

He wandered off, muttering some nonsense under his breath, in annoyance. Robin had come here to try to unwind, but it didn't look like that would be happening any time soon. She'd been in a foul mood ever since she'd been informed of her Boss's latest plans. The bartender was in a foul mood as well, it seemed.

"It wouldn't be too wise to upset him too much, you know." A masculine voice came from her right.

A man wearing a bright orange cowboy hat tilted the brim up, just to get a better look at her. It was rather tacky and gaudy, in her opinion, and she didn't hesitate to wrinkle her nose at him. He wasn't her type, and probably just about the last person here she wanted anything to do with. She wasn't a talker anyway.

"Don't tell me what to do." Robin snapped.

"Now, now... No need to get all riled up," He offered her a kind smile, that somehow came off as a little cocky. "It's not exactly smart to upset the man who pours your drinks. You get me?"

She noticed he had freckles, and they made him look rather handsome, in an odd way... He had a sort of boyish charm about him. Not her type at all, but she was sure with all those bulging muscles, he probably didn't have too hard of a time with the ladies. He seemed sociable enough for most women too. Just not for her. She preferred being alone and would push anyone away who tried to get near her. It had become her way of life.

It was obvious that he was warning her the guy might try to poison her or something. But she had ways of dealing with that too... A quick flick of her wrist and his neck would be snapped in an instant. Not that she'd trust anyone enough to just tell them that. One wrong move was all it would take, though she didn't really want to have to resort to that. If she did, she would most likely have waited around until after close, and then done away with him once no one else was around. Only if he tried to poison her though.

"I understand what you're trying to say," Robin nodded slightly, sitting back as the man behind the counter set her glass down. She'd watched his every move as he'd poured it. "Believe me, I get your drift. But I can take care of myself."

"Something troubling you then?" The man in the cowboy hat asked her. He took a slow swig from a pint of ale he was holding. The frost forming on the steel mug was a testament to how cold and refreshing it must have been. He punctuated his question with a breathy "Ahhh..." as he downed the beverage, followed by a toothy grin.

"I guess I've just had a really trying day, and I came here to unwind. Not to be lectured or yelled at. You might say that I enjoy my solitude."

The barkeep slid her glass to her along the polished wooden bar. A bit of the amber liquid spilled out when it hit her hand. She tossed her head back and drank down the whole glass in one shot, wiping her face with her sleeve when she was done. The woman then sat there with a deliberate scowl.

"Wow..." She heard him mutter under his breath, before his dark eyes came to meet her pale ones. "I haven't seen a lady drink like that in quite a while!"

He flashed her a great big grin. It reminded her of someone she'd rather not think about... Too many depressing memories. That was her worst problem of all. Robin shivered, but tried to play it off by stretching and leaning against the bar. She swiveled around on the barstool and surveyed her surroundings briefly, taking in the scenery.

Two men were giving each other rabid glares, as they sat with a group of men at a table. They were all holding cards. Robin could only assume they were playing a game of poker. A mediocre pile of money sat in the center of the table, but no one reached for it. They hadn't finished playing their hands yet...

"You really shouldn't have such a sour look on your face," The man in the orange hat continued to heckle her. "It's unbecoming of a woman like you."

"Look," She turned to him, growling through gritted teeth. "You don't know the slightest thing about me! And I'm not interested in anything you have to offer. So leave me alone."

Before he could bother with a reply, a fight broke out. The two men that she'd noticed glaring at each other had started a brawl that expanded quickly outward from their little corner, their anger spreading through the bar like wildfire.

The money on the table was soon strewn across the floor hastily. Fists flew through the air, pistols were drawn, pints of ale and mugs of beer were splashed on men's faces, broken pool cues littered the bar, tables were knocked askew, and half of the patrons now sported black eyes, broken teeth, or both. All the while, the gentleman that was now to her left sat there with a smile on his face. Nothing seemed to phase him at all, as he continued to sit his ale. It was classic enough to cause her to chuckle a little... Until one of the other men set his sights on her.

"Why don't we two get outta here, whatta ya say?" A drunkard sporting a big golden mustache forcefully put his arm around her. She could smell the beer on his breath. It was vile.

She turned away. If she used her abilities here, she'd likely expose everything about herself. It wouldn't be too hard to figure out who she was. Lots of people had heard rumors about devil fruits and the abilities they gave to the people that ate them. They had a long reputation for being associated with Pirates, as well. Robin wasn't stupid enough to do anything that might risk blowing her cover. For tonight, she had to try to blend in as a civilian. That didn't mean she had to accept whatever happened though.

"Leave me be. I've got no interest in people like you."

He was not relenting any. The man held her tighter, refusing to let go. He had her by her hair and shoulders now, tugging and urging her off the bar stool. She stood there for a moment, struggling to get free. The others were all busy trying to avoid being pummeled during the fight. His plan was probably to try to get her outside during all the confusion of the ongoing fight.

The best she could manage was simply elbowing the guy until he doubled over in pain. "Get off of me!" She shoved him away with all her might. He barely stumbled, but seemed to get the message.

"Your loss..." He hiccupped and promptly walked away. "Slut."

Robin smirked, placing down a few bills and coins onto the counter. The empty glass from her scotch joined them. She hadn't even gotten a decent buzz yet, but she was more than tired of this place already. At least she'd managed to get one drink in before things went sour. And she'd also had a glass of wine with dinner, so the evening wasn't a total loss.

"You know... I think I'll take my business elsewhere. Keep the change."

"Suits me just fine!" The snarky bartender replied, scraping up the money she'd left.

Obviously, he had bigger problems. Cleaning up after this big of a fight wasn't going to be fun. It seemed like this kind of thing probably happened here regularly. That probably explained his foul mood.

No sooner than Robin had stepped outside, she noticed that three other men had followed her out of the bar. Including the one who'd had his arm around her only minutes before. She walked away, in a hurry to get out of this neighborhood as quickly as possible. They seemed to be closing in on her, intent on cornering her in an alley.

She tried to run away, but one of them had already cut her off in front. When she took a step backward, she felt herself hit something solid, but soft. It was the mustache'd man's sweaty torso. Robin recoiled in disgust.

"Awww, calm down girl, we ain't gonna hurt ya none..." The one to his left said to her.

"Get the hell away from me!" She screeched.

"Hold still."

"Come on, get into the alley. We'd like ta have a word with ya!"

"Yeah, it's alright. Come on..."

"No! Leave me alone!" Robin wailed.

She knew she could use her powers on them at any time. She was holding out until the last possible moment, trying other methods first. She'd tried running away, and also tried overpowering them with leverage alone. But there were too many men, it was three against one, and the odds were not in her favor.

Robin knew she'd be in big trouble if she did use her devil fruit powers in a setting like this... The Boss would be furious, but he wasn't in her shoes. He didn't know how awful some men could be. None had ever managed to take advantage of her just yet... Not since the Marines that time. Luckily, she'd gotten away from them with her life, but just barely. This wasn't even like that. These were just some lowlifes that had picked the wrong woman to mess with. She didn't want these creeps to do this to some other girl though, to someone lesser than her who couldn't really do anything about it. She vaguely wondered how many times they'd done this to already. The mere thought of it made her sick.

She wrapped herself in her arms, crossing them both over her chest. Her eyes narrowed, her resolve to remain undercover steadily weakening. It didn't matter anymore. She readied herself, opening her mouth to utter the words that would earn her freedom back from these bullies...

"Shhh!" One of them said, quickly clamping his hand over her mouth...


	2. Chapter 2

**Renegade Hearts**  
><strong>by Kaline Reine<strong>

**Disclaimer: I do not own One Piece or any of the characters/settings. This is just a fanfiction story. I claim nothing.**

**WARNINGS: This story contains (or may contain) graphic adult content and language, explicit sex scenes which may or may not be consensual, violence, cursing, dark and/or adult themes, etc. I do not censor my writing, but I do warn people about the subject matter and potential subject matter. Not all of my stories contain such things, but many of them will. So if you don't like that kind of thing or can't handle it, then I suggest not reading this story. You have been warned. **

**In other words, children please avert your eyes. Thank you. (I will leave this warning on every chapter, just to make sure people see it. I doubt this particular story is going to be all that bad, but I tend to get carried away sometimes, so you never know.)**

* * *

><p><strong>Chapter 2:<strong>

_She wrapped herself in her arms, crossing them both over her chest. Her eyes narrowed, her resolve to remain undercover steadily weakening. It didn't matter anymore. She readied herself, opening her mouth to utter the words that would earn her freedom back from these bullies..._

_"Shhh!" One of them said, quickly clamping his hand over her mouth..._

The man behind him grabbed her arms and placed each one against the wall beside her head. They weren't going to let her use her abilities. They didn't want her screaming either.

But Robin had worse problems. The reason they'd been so quick to stifle her was because they'd heard it too... Footsteps coming their way. They were all hoping the random passerby wouldn't look toward the alley or they would go about their business. Even she hoped so, because she would be able to get herself out of this unnoticed, if they just kept walking. To her horror, the steps paused just in front of the entrance to the walled area where they held the struggling woman against the wall.

The man in the orange cowboy hat and black shorts stood there, just assessing the situation. She noticed the unreadable expression on his face and the way he tilted his hat upward to see better. Black boots scraped across the cement, and began to pick up speed. He was rushing toward them at an alarming pace.

"Hey mac, care to join us?" Her first assailant, the one with the mustache, asked.

Cold dark eyes narrowed, until his face had twisted into a grimace. A flash of pure anger flickered across his features. It was so scarce she could have almost imagined it; there one moment and gone the next...

"Go to hell..." The words were not low, nor were they spoken in haste. He said it as if it was the most natural and common thing in the world to say. "You cowards!"

Before they could do anything, all three of them were surrounded by neon flames. They swirled around the trio, seeming to dance and flicker along with their movements. They were entrapped and unable to leave the alley. The really scary thing was that the orange glowing light hadn't come from a discernible fuel source. No... The flames extended from the newcomer's body in such a way that he appeared to be made of fire itself.

He didn't stop there. He punched the blonde one with the mustache, not once but twice, for good measure. He didn't even care that the flames had already frightened the men enough to leave the girl alone, or that he was already down after the first punch. All his two buddies could do was watch. It all happened so fast, it was surreal.

"Let her _go!_" The cowboy seethed with rage, his shoulders heaving evenly along with his breathing as he towered over the man he'd nearly knocked out.

The unfortunate man who was on the receiving end of the flaming fist was now wide-eyed with fear. The pain in his cheek must have been unbearable. He'd been bruised and singed at the same time, and blisters were already welling up on his reddened cheek.

"I'm sorry sir, I really truly am..." His words were anything but sincere, and they all knew that. "I'll never touch her again, I swe-"

The man who'd punched him spoke darkly, his town low and his words slow and deliberate. "Get out of here. Take your goons with you. And never show your worthless faces around here again!"

"Yeah, I get ya..."

His friend helped him up from the cold ground, as if waiting for the mystery man to explain why he'd suddenly attacked them. He didn't seem to think they needed any explanation though, and sent them on their way.

" !" He growled fiercely. "Or else I might do something I'll _regret. _Heh. _Maybe._" He cracked his knuckles just for emphasis.

"Come on fellas. Let's hightail it outta here."

She watched the other men cower until the flames eventually dissipated. Once the fire had receded, her attacker fled. The other two who'd joined him ran away right behind him.

Robin could see now that he had a tattoo, but couldn't make out what it said... It was too dark to read in the back of the alley. That was the least of her worries at the moment anyway.

All she could do was look at the man who had saved her. She had a look of utter despair, as she watched to see what he would do. Just because she was safe from the others didn't automatically mean she would be safe with him either. She knew that all too well. And while she wasn't sure why he'd done what he did, she was fairly certain he posed no immediate threat to her. At least, not yet.

"So..." He was only staring at her. He seemed afraid he might frighten her away or something. "You aren't scared of me?"

"Nothing really scares me anymore..." Robin replied calmly. "Not after all the things I've seen and been through. But you didn't have to do that. _Really._ Still, I'm glad you came along."

He really didn't.

"I couldn't have let those bastards get away with hurting a pretty little thing like you. Not while I'm around. I'm sorry if we got off on the wrong foot, but I mean you no harm."

"Hmm..." Blue eyes gazed at him in the moonlight. He looked so different from how he'd first appeared in the bar. Just a twinge of a faint smile appeared on her lips. "I'm Robin."

"Nice to meet you, mis- I mean Robin." The cowboy adjusted his hat. "The name's Ace. Portgas D. Ace, if I'm being totally honest with you."

"Oh? And what do you do for a living? I'm assuming you're some kind of farmhand or maybe a cowboy?"

She was playing ignorant, that much was obvious. Most everyone had heard of devil fruits and what the people who have eaten them are capable of. However, Robin didn't want to push the issue and end up tipping him off to her own identity, so she chose to let it go. What did it really matter?

"Eh, something like that..." Ace brushed her question to the side for now. "Well, if you're still interested in getting shitfaced, I know of a little place just a few blocks away. We should be able to walk from here."

When she tried to push off from the wall, she realized how unstable she was. Her black high heeled boots weren't enough to support her just then. It was like her legs had turned to jello, for reasons unknown. She fell, and the concrete scraped across her knee when she tried to catch herself. It was a futile attempt and she went down anyway.

_'I was going to turn him down,'_ She silently admitted to herself. _'But now I think maybe I could use the company. Maybe my nerves are just rattled. I could definitely use another drink or two right now.' _

"Not like we have any other mode of transportation." Robin shrugged, trying to get up.

"Oh my... Are you okay?"

She blushed a bit when he offered her his hand. Opting not to take it, the Devil Woman got to her feet of her own accord. It was like she was trying to spite him somehow, or at least prove that she really didn't need anyone's help. Especially not his. She barely knew him.

"I'm fine. Thanks."

The two of them left the darkness of the alley together, and proceeded to walk in the direction he'd previously indicated. The moon was the only thing lighting their path. It was late. The wind blew through her hair, making Robin shiver. After walking for a while, she realized they were close to the ocean and she could smell the salty air from the sea.

She wished she'd worn warmer clothing. Something less revealing would have been nice, considering the unwanted male attention she'd garnered. She knew it wasn't her fault it had happened though. She hadn't sent any wrong or misleading signals and she'd been very direct about saying no. Some men were just pigs, that's all it was. She shouldn't have to dress or act a certain way in order to avoid being stared at or cornered in a dark alley. It was ridiculous.

"You cold?" He asked, breaking her out of her thoughts.

"You ask the oddest questions, you know that?" She halted in her steps, pausing to just look at him strangely. "It doesn't matter if I'm cold."

"Why not?"

"It's not like you actually have a coat or a jacket or anything to offer me."

"No..." Ace replied, with a small chuckle. "All I have to offer is my company."

He seemed to consider something for a moment, but then he thought better of it. He knew it wasn't a good idea to show off his powers. Especially not to someone he'd just met. He was surprised she hadn't made that big of a deal over what he'd done to her attackers. Hell... She hadn't even asked a lot of questions about seeing him spontaneously combust at will! Just who was this woman?

Robin hoped she hadn't just offended him. She hadn't meant for what she said to come off as mean or anything. He actually seemed like a nice enough guy. And he had saved her, rather than joining in with the brutes who had her cornered, so there was that. All things considered, he seemed to have a lot going for him tonight.

"Your company alone is good enough for me." She smiled. It was the first truly nice thing she'd said all night.

The two continued on in silence, until they came to the other bar he'd mentioned. A thick metal chain was stretched across the door, barring it off completely, with a lock firmly in place. There was a note stapled to the wooden panel.

_'Dearest patrons,'_ It read._ 'We are under new management and must close for several days in order to remodel. Please excuse the inconvenience. -Management' _

"Well... Hahaha," He laughed out loud, his laughter ringing out like a deep roar. "That's a no go!"

"Guess so," Robin agreed, still smiling. "Thank you for the help anyway. I really appreciate it. I should probably get back-"

"No need to give up so easily. There's more than one way to get plastered tonight, if your mind's really made up."

"I'm sure we won't have much better luck any place else. Tonight is just a bust. I think I'll-"

"You should join me on my ship," Ace knew he'd gotten her undivided attention with the mention of owning a boat. "I've got some liquor stashed away, and I certainly wouldn't mind having some company to drink it with. Why not come along?"

"I'm afraid I have somewhere to be first thing in the morning. I can't go anywhere with you." She shook her head, rather solemnly.

"It's not like we'll be setting out to sea or anything," He chuckled, turning his boyish charms on her at full force. "Just drinking together out at the docks. You'll still be able to make your meeting tomorrow. You'll be no worse off than you would've been at the bar."

Robin really wasn't sure about this... She'd just met this guy, and didn't know very much about him yet. Portgas D. Ace... His name sounded vaguely familiar, like maybe she'd heard it somewhere, but she couldn't really place it. He'd helped her and all he was asking for was a drinking buddy for one night. It wasn't like he was demanding a serious commitment from her or anything. There was probably no harm in it.

"Alright, lead the way Captain..." She joked.

"Ah, so you've got jokes now?"

"Why the hell not?"

"So is that your final answer?" He asked, with one hand on his hip, his thumb rubbing across his belt. "You coming, or not?"

She noticed he had a demonic medallion hanging from the string that held his hat on. And he sported large red prayer beads around his neck as well, probably from a shrine somewhere... His simple attire, just plain black shorts and black boots, might have left something to be desired, but his casual demeanor seemed to calm something within her.

And that was when Robin realized... She wanted to go with him. She actually _wanted_ to go get drunk, and she didn't want to do it alone.

"Sure," She shrugged, giving in to her own silent struggle. "I guess it can't hurt."

"Can't muck up this night anymore than fate already has, right?"

"Exactly."

Ace led her back the way they'd come. They continued on that trek for about a black and a half, before he turned toward the ocean and led her even further away from her intended path. Robin didn't mind that much. It would be nice having someone to drink with.

She was on her guard though. Too many bad things had happened to her, she'd run into too many shady characters in her day to be able to fully relax around someone new. Even if he appeared to be trustworthy, she couldn't be sure just yet. In her eyes, everyone she met was a potential backstabber. The closer they got to his boat, the more she tensed up. It was done subconsciously, but she was sure he'd picked up on it.

"Watch your step," Ace told her to be careful, when they stepped over some crab traps that someone had carelessly laid out along the dock.

She stumbled, losing her footing when she tried to step over them. Walking in heels wasn't an easy task for anyone, especially not along a dock littered with rusty crab traps and debris, like this one. It was a lot harder than it looked. It didn't help that she was probably already a little tipsy. Her heel caught a crack between two boards, and when she pulled it out, it set her whole body off balance.

"Ahh!" There was a girlish scream from behind him.

_'I knew this was a bad idea...' _That was her only thought, as she went over the side. _'It's all over... He'll know. He'll know about my devil fruit powers, and it will all be over.' _

Before she made contact with the rough, unforgiving waves, she felt something grab her. Two massively powerful arms encircled her, and in the blink of an eye she was pulled back up onto the dock. Robin was grateful.

"I told you to be careful," Though his words were accusing, Ace was still all smiles. "This dock isn't exactly in the best shape. Stay close to me."

"It's not that big a deal... How did you know I can't swim?"

"Well I didn't, but I do now..." He made himself sound sinister for a moment. Robin thought it might be time for her to run away, but he probably didn't mean any harm. "Actually, I can't swim either. So I just assume the worst and always try to look out for those who also... _can't swim._"

"I see. That's thoughtful of you. You've saved me twice in one night. I owe you a debt of gratitude."

The hesitance in his voice alone was enough to clue her in to the fact that he wasn't exactly normal. And it told her that he must know about her too, or at least have his suspicions. But again, she'd feigned ignorance.

She followed him to where there was a small rig tied up to a post. It was hardly worthy of being called a ship. A vessel maybe, barely a boat. It was more like a yellow raft. It had an engine on the back, with two paddle wheels on either side, and a small sail attached to a mast behind everything.

"This is the Striker. What do you think?"

Robin giggled. "It's... It's uh... It's something."

He leaned over to reach into the center of the small craft where he normally stood and opened a small compartment, from which he pulled out an enormous bottle of sake. She'd never seen this kind before, so it was very likely a rare brand. It was labeled in foreign lettering as rice wine. This one was pear flavored, and it seemed like he'd been saving it for some reason. Most people wouldn't have even been able to read it, but Robin knew many different languages.

"I knew you'd say that. I know it's small, but it's only made to seat one. And that'd be me..." Ace tossed her the bottle. "Here. I've been saving this for a special occasion. I'll let you do the honors of taking the first sip."

It didn't look like anyone else sailed with him. It wasn't hard to guess why he'd have his own personal stash of sake aboard the strange little raft. When he'd leaned over, she'd noticed something that had alarmed her... He had a tattoo on his back. Lit only by moonlight, it was hard to make out what it was, but if she was correct, then she had absolutely no business being out here with him. He could be dangerous. But she'd already known that was a distinct possibility when she'd agreed to come have a drink with him in the first place.

The two of them sat on the edge of the dock, letting their feet dangle just above the rolling waves. She didn't really feel that comfortable sitting so close to the water, especially right after she'd almost fallen in, but she'd come this far. Robin wasn't about to let anything stop her now.

"I feel special now," She muttered, already prying the cap off and peeling the shiny paper away. "I'll have to return the favor someday."

"Naw, don't worry about it. I've run all out of occasions to give a fuck about."

Although he'd intended it as lighthearted banter, Robin could tell he was at least half serious. She took a swig and handed him the bottle. He didn't seem bothered by the notion of germs and right now she just didn't care. She was already in trouble, so what did it matter? She needed to unwind and live a little. Though it was unchilled, it still tasted amazing and went down smooth.

He drank some, before passing the bottle back to her. They were quiet for a while, just passing it back and forth. Her eyes were glued to the medallion that hung from the strings of his gaudy orange hat. It was a demon's skull, with two horns carved on either side of it's noticeably angry head.

"Did you know that's an ancient symbol?" She inquired, genuinely curious.

Ace was happy that she seemed to have taken an interest in something. "Is that so?" He took the bottle from where when she passed it his way again. "How do you know for sure?"

"I'm an Archaeologist, actually."

She knew she probably shouldn't tell him too much about herself. But there were probably hundreds of people who did the same thing for a living in the world.

"I'm..." He seemed to think deeply for a moment. His head tilted back, his hat dropped back onto his shoulders where it was held by the leather string, and he looked up at the stars. "I'm nothing, really."

The way his black tresses fell around made her want to run her hands through them... They looked so soft. Robin knew she was probably well on her way to being drunk.

_'I shouldn't let myself get so carried away...' _She reprimanded herself.

"Not true. I'm sure you're something to someone."

"Maybe... But really I'm nothing. Not out here, among the vast stars that light the sky, with the moon's glow making you look so... so beautiful!" He declared.

"You're clearly three sheets to the wind right now," She giggled, and it seemed to be contagious. She hadn't been expecting him to say anything so silly. She was right though. Half of his words were slurring together.

"I like the way you laugh. It's really carefree..." Then he sighed. "Didn't mean to get that deep, I'm sorry."

"Oh no, it's fine..." Robin felt a bit awkward. It was odd for her to be sharing so many things with a stranger. "I don't mind. I'm actually not usually this talkative either."

Ace didn't reply, he just smiled in that comforting sort of way that he had about him.

"To tell you the absolute truth... I'm a Pirate." He saw the way she flinched at the word Pirate, misreading her reaction. "I hope that doesn't bother you too much. In all honesty, we're not all bad guys, really."

"You don't seem like a bad guy. And I have to admit, I kind of suspected... Your devil fruit powers and all."

Robin seriously hoped she wasn't slurring her words together. When she drank, she tended to slip up a bit more than she normally would. She hadn't even meant to mention that to him. It probably wasn't a good idea to let him know everything she knew. Luckily, she'd neglected to mention her knowledge of the origins of the tattoo that spanned his muscular shoulder blades.

"Being out here among the waves, feeling the wind in my hair, the ocean's spray on my skin, smelling the scent of forbidden adventure... It's nice." She changed the subject.

"Yeah, it's a nice night too." Ace agreed. "Shame some people have to try so hard to screw things up for everyone." He was referring to what the small group of men had done to her earlier.

"True..."

She passed him the bottle again. Then it came back to her.

Robin was lost in thought. She knew he was a member of the Whitebeard Pirates. It was obvious, from the moment she'd spotted the tattoo. Had she been a sane woman, she would have instantly feared for her very life. Being out here alone with someone like him was probably not the greatest idea. Whitebeard and his crew were a fearsome bunch, and she was sure that they probably had enough experience with devil fruits to be able to get rid of one measly girl like her. But she couldn't very well run away from him now.

_'I really have a knack for putting myself into intensely stressful situations...'_

Yet, for some reason, her instincts told her that she had nothing to fear. She trusted herself and her own judgment of character far more than she trusted things like symbols and Pire crews. And for all she knew, he might be an ex-member. She didn't know him well enough to ask anything overtly personal like that.

Over the course of the night, Robin had found that she actually enjoyed his company. They'd shared pleasant conversations, had a good drink together, and he'd been nothing but courteous to her the entire time.

"I hate to cut this short, but... It's getting late... I should really get going soon."

"You know what they say..." His grin widened really big. "All good things must come to an end. That includes tonight."

It was now or never. Either he would attack her and try to pull whatever it was he had in mind when he'd lured her all the way out here, or he would allow her to leave peacefully. She really wasn't expecting what he offered next.

"Need me to walk you home?"

Robin was completely blindsided by his blatant and apparently sincere offer. It was somewhat rare that she ran into genuine people anymore. If she let him walk her home, it had the potential to lead to some very bad things. On the other hand, it might be wise, since those guys who assaulted her earlier could still be creeping about town.

"I guess it can't hurt, but I mean... You don't have to."

"Now what kind of a gentleman would I be if I didn't see the lady to her door?" He hiccupped, as evidence of his drunken state. He stood and took off his hat, making a grand bowing gesture to her. "It'll be my pleasure."

He placed the bottle back into the Striker's little compartment. They hadn't quite finished all of it, but it was strong stuff. He'd save the rest for another time.

"Alright, let's go." She smiled.

Carefully this time, Robin made her way down the dock. As the two walked along the rickety wooden boards, held together by rusty nails, one such board gave way. Ace's boot got stuck and he tripped, falling face-first into the water. Robin tried to grab him, but she didn't make it in time. His head was already on it's way underwater.

"Ace!" Was the only thing she managed to get out, before he disappeared from sight. "No!"

She noticed his hat had fallen off, and now floated just a few feet away from where he'd disappeared. Folding her arms across her chest, Robin uttered a few words that sounded like French, and numerous arms began to sprout from the sides of the dock. They looked just like hers. She tried to reach down into the water, but the cruel waves just wouldn't allow her to use her devil fruit abilities. Her powers were rendered useless.

_'He's going to drown!' _The shocking realization rang out in her mind, as she panicked.

Finally, he came back up to the surface. He appeared to be paralyzed, as evidence of the sea's hatred for him reared it's ugly head. His own head rose out of the water like a sea monster, tendrils of black sea serpents hanging from it. His hair was ruined, but that was the least of his worries right now. He still couldn't move. His face was completely blank, he looked stunned. He noticed the hands coming toward him, but seemed confused as to why there were so many of them.

After some difficulty, she eventually managed to pull him up. He was heavy. It made her glad that she'd spent time honing her powers. He immediately was on all fours, collapsing onto his knees and then relying on his hands to hold him above the drenched dock. He gave her a weird look.

"Never thought..." Ace coughed, already heaving up water onto the boards in front of him. "I'd be saved..." He panted, barely able to get the words out. "By the... one..." Cough. Sputter. "Who needed saving..." Cough. "Thanks, doll."

"It's no real problem. I'm glad you're okay. The real question is... Will you keep my secret?" She asked him, point blank.

Dark azure eyes looked down upon him from where she stood, just to his left. More summoned hands moved along his back, massaging him to help get the water he'd swallowed to come up. It wouldn't do if he drowned on dry land.

"Of course. Only if you'll keep mine." He winked.

He was back on his feet in a flash, seeming to have recovered rather quickly. She knew the feeling of coming into contact with the ocean quite well. It caused severe weakness, nausea, and a fair amount of retching, if one wasn't careful. It was amazing that he'd gotten his balance back that quickly. They kept walking toward the shore, and this time they were a lot more careful. She noticed he sort of leaned of her all the way there.

They walk through the empty streets, as Robin steered them in the direction of her temporary apartment. Crocodile had arranged for her to stay there until they had to move again. She didn't feel comfortable staying in the building with someone like him. She knew he wasn't entirely trustworthy. She'd known for a long time now that the only one she could really depend on was herself.

"We're getting close." She told him, when they came to her block.

The street lights were on, just barely lighting the area. It wasn't far to her apartment. Robin didn't feel exactly safe letting him know which one was hers. It would make it far too easy to stalk her or even find her later, after she'd moved. She had to make sure she kept her tracks well covered.

"It's a damn shame..." Ace whispered, his voice barely there.

"Hm?"

"I was just thinking. It's kind of a shame I can't take you with me. You seem like you'd be pretty..." He paused. "'Handy' to have around. Heh."

Robin tried not to laugh at the silly half-drunken pun. "I don't have much free time anyway. It's alright."

There was one advantage to him being so drunk. Hopefully he wouldn't even remember her devil fruit powers tomorrow. By morning, she hoped it would all be forgotten.

"I feel ya... I've got to set sail soon, myself. I'm involved in so much shit that I barely have time for myself, let alone anyone else."

In that moment, he sounded really... unlike himself. He seemed lonely. There was a kind of quiet desperation in his voice that hinted at loneliness. She picked up on that vibe from him rather easily. So she said nothing.

"But it was nice, you know..." He continued, as if hinting at something more. "Getting lost with you for a little while. I had fun."

"Nothing wrong with just entertaining the thought." Robin paused. "This is my apartment. I... I had fun too." She stammered, unsure of what to say now.

His skin collided with hers. He whisked her away in a warm embrace. Robin was nervous, she didn't really know how to get rid of him. He could be a real problem if he became more insistent. Before she could break away from the unexpected hug, he'd already broken it.

"Goodnight, mystery woman..."

"'Night." Was all she said.

Ace turned, and he left. Robin couldn't read whatever mix of expressions he probably had on his face right then. She watched him wander down back toward the docks where his boat was moored. His black boots scraping drunkenly across the concrete. She hoped he would be okay.

_'He was right, you know..._ _We both travel too much to do anything that might attach us further.' _

So he'd done the wise thing, the kind thing, and left her alone. She knew she'd probably never see him again. For some reason, that thought left her a little unsettled... But she'd managed to fight it enough to get herself inside, once she was sure he'd disappeared from sight. She'd even managed to get undressed and fall haphazardly into bed.

Robin smiled to herself as she fell asleep, comfortably alone, like always.

* * *

><p><strong>Author's Note: That's it for the first two chapters. I haven't written that many One Piece fanfics before, this is only my second one for this fandom. So I'm kind of nervous. I should warn you, I love crack pairings, lol. This randomly came to me, I have a plot line all planned out and I just needed to get it out of my system. I'm still open to ideas, of course. The story will take me where it takes me. <strong>

**What do you think so far? Please review, if you have time, it would mean a lot to me... The next chapter should be up soon, though it's hard to say exactly when. I will try not to talk too much in author notes this time. Thanks for reading and I hope you end up enjoying it! **

**-Kaline**


	3. Chapter 3

**Renegade Hearts**  
><strong>by Kaline Reine<strong>

**Disclaimer: I do not own One Piece or any of the characters/settings. This is just a fanfiction story. I claim nothing.**

**WARNINGS: This story contains (or may contain) graphic adult content and language, explicit sex scenes which may or may not be consensual, violence, cursing, dark and/or adult themes, etc. I do not censor my writing, but I do warn people about the subject matter and potential subject matter. Not all of my stories contain such things, but many of them will. So if you don't like that kind of thing or can't handle it, then I suggest not reading this story. You have been warned. **

**In other words, children please avert your eyes. Thank you. (I will leave this warning on every chapter, just to make sure people see it. I doubt this particular story is going to be all that bad, but I tend to get carried away sometimes, so you never know.)**

* * *

><p><strong>Chapter 3:<strong>

She had hoped that her drunken escapades from the night before would be forgotten... No such luck. Even before she opened her eyes, she remembered everything.

_'I still remember...' _Her foggy thoughts evaded her, but then it all came flooding back, vividly. _'Drinking in the bar, then leaving... There was a scuffle, they forced themselves on me, but I was saved. I remember a deep voice, a pair of kind eyes, a sweet smile... And there were flames. I remember drinking on the beach with an amazing person. I remember coming home, him leaving...' _

The rest was hazy at best. She knew what had happened, but it felt like a dream. _'Ace...'_ She recalled his name well. It was unique. Robin didn't know what to make of his actions. He was mysterious. _'Maybe it would be best to let it rest... He's gone, anyway.'_

A noise rang out. It hurt her ears, and it took her a minute to figure out where it was coming from. She had a throbbing headache and the loud noise was not helping. She grit her teeth in annoyance, almost dead set on hanging it up when she did find it. And then she remembered that the man she worked for had given her a small snail...

"Puru... purupurupuru... purupurupuru..." The Den Den Mushi on the nightstand to her left rang. "Ca-chank!"

She picked up. Before she even said hello, there was a very deep masculine voice on the other end.

"Miss All Sunday? Where the hell are you?"

"I'm at home, silly..." _Silly._ She'd just called her boss silly. Apparently the alcohol hadn't quite worked it's way out of her system yet. She laid there in her soft bed, staring up at the spinning ceiling.

"What the hell is wrong with you? Did something happen?"

Was this a test? "I'm not sure if it's relevant, but I had a few drinks last night... Someone was nice enough to walk me home though."

"_What?_" His icy tone said it all.

_'I shouldn't have told him that...' _She'd known of his feelings for her for a long time. _'Oops.'_

"Ah, don't worry," She attempted to cover for herself. "Nothing happened. I mean, not that it would have- Not that I- I mean... I came home alone. Well, someone walked me, but I... Yeah."

She finished lamely, with a sigh. It was pointless trying to explain herself, when she knew she shouldn't even have to. Especially not to someone she had a strictly business arrangement with.

"Hn." She could hear the deliberate smirk in his face. "I can see you aren't fully composed yet. You sound half hungover or something. Did I wake you?"

"Ah... Yes sir."

If she were sitting upright, Robin would have hung her head in shame. As it was, she tilted her head back on her pillow, blinking her eyes and trying to bring her headboard into focus. It blurred in and out several times. Things were still fuzzy and her head was throbbing with pain. She needed to take an aspirin...

"I figured as much. Report to my office immediately. Well, once you're composed. I have an assignment for you. I'll give you some time, but I need you to report in as soon as possible. We're going to have a little talk."

"Ca-chank!" The little snail clicked it's tongue. The call had ended.

_'He has some nerve hanging up on me! But then again, he's always like that... Why can't I just get with the program this morning? Ugh... What is wrong with me?' _

She resolved to take a shower, get dressed, and make herself a quick breakfast before leaving. That was all she had time for. She knew he was serious. 

* * *

><p>Knowing that her boss meant business, she'd hurried to get dressed and report in to his office. She'd chosen a black leather dress suit piece that began at her wrists and ended about mid-thigh. Tall black boots accentuated the ensemble, making a clicking noise as she walked down the long, narrow hallway that led to her boss's office.<p>

Her hand rested on the doorknob. She knew what was probably in store for her. The man had eyes and ears everywhere, spread throughout the entire region like a dark plague... This was the man that owned Baroque Works, though he'd never admit to it publicly. He practically owned all of Alabasta, in spite of the fact that already had leaders.

She entered the room to find Crocodile sitting on his big chair, like a King upon his throne. "Well, if it isn't my little sparrow... What can I do for you, my dear?"

"Cut the shit already." Robin's eyes narrowed dangerously. "You know why I'm here."

"Fine," His smirk was vicious, and very unnerving. "There are two reasons I summoned you. The first concerns Baroque Works. Can you guess what the second is?"

"I'm terrible at guessing."

Robin made her way across the room and sat in a chair to his left, pulling it up to the long table. She crossed one leg over the other. A giant aquarium surrounded the remaining three walls of the meeting room. She idly watched some fish scatter out of the way, just as several gigantic Bananawani swam by. Their grins were something she'd grown accustomed to, working for Crocodile for as long as she had. These strange alligators were his beloved pets. She cleared her throat, waiting for him to talk.

"You're no fun..." He growled.

"I never claimed to be. But I get the job done. Stop toying with me, or I'm out of here."

As if he knew exactly why she was in such a foul mood, the man flipped a tiny white pill in his hand, tossing it to her. It landed right in her palm. She raised her other hand to catch the other that followed it.

"There's an empty glass for water over by the sink, why don't you take those? They should help you feel a little better."

Crocodile knew she almost never took a drink from anyone if they had prepared it for her. Too many people had tried to poison her before. Their intentions were usually to stab her in the back and hand her over to the World Government. In truth, he would never do anything like that. Especially not to his beloved pet...

"Thanks," Robin inspected the two tablets he'd thrown her. Both were just ordinary aspirin.

She used her powers, causing multiple arms to spring up in a path between herself and the small sink located in the back of the room. The hands nearest the sink picked up the glass and turned on the faucet, allowing the cool refreshing liquid to fill it. The rest then passed it to one another, until it eventually reached the table where Robin sat. She could have easily gotten up and fetched it herself, but why waste energy? Right now, she wasn't entirely certain whether she could even manage to stand, let alone walk properly. Her head was pulsing, and she felt slightly dizzy.

The devil woman swallowed both of the aspirin, wondering why her boss was staring at her so intently. For a moment, she wondered if maybe he might have done something to the glass, but she played it off. That would be very unlike him, and she liked to think that she knew the people she worked for better than that. Besides, she took more than enough precautions.

"So what's the issue?" She finally asked, after an unsettling silence had filled the space between them.

"As I mentioned earlier, I have an assignment for you," Crocodile took out a big fat cigar, lighting the end of it. "Your first task is to send out word to all other Baroque Works agents. You can use the mailbox system we have set up to help get the word out, but try to be careful. Don't let anyone see you. The Unluckies should be by in a couple of days, and they should be able to deliver all of the messages without fail."

"So you're sending me to put some stuff in the mail? Is that it?" She leaned on the table, using an extra hand to prop up her chin.

"Yeah. And when they arrive, you will meet up with the high ranking Officer Agents at the rendezvous point. Then you are to bring them directly here. It wouldn't be safe to give away our real location until we've determined who they are. You remember where it is, yes?" He blew smoke in her general direction, which was waved away by ghostly hands.

"Of course. I can do that. And then what?"

"I know more than you give me credit for, girl. Do you take me for a fool?"

"No," Robin answered honestly, with that telltale Cheshire smile of hers. "I'd never work for a fool." She wondered where he was going with this.

Crocodile seemed to accept her answer. His grin was widening all the time. She felt like it may reach his ears soon. "You were seen last night, leaving a bar with an... unsavory gentleman."

_'Crap! How does he know about that?' _

"Perhaps... I fail to see how that's any of your business. I wasn't working then, and was told to enjoy myself last night."

"I don't recall saying anything like that."

"You said to have a good night," She smirked. "So maybe I did."

"You wouldn't have, if he hadn't come along into that alley when he did."

Robin was appalled. Her eyebrows lowered over her eyes, twisting her normally friendly face into a furious scowl. "If you knew about them... Why didn't you do anything to help me?"

"I know you're capable of taking care of yourself. I never counted on some idiot butting in."

"I see..." She tried her best to maintain her calmness. "So how do you even know what I did last night?"

"My dear, you know I have spies spread out all over this city. You should know better than that. You should also be careful drinking so much right before an important mission." He scolded her, like one would scold a small child.

"So what's your point, other than admitting that you've spied on me without my permission?"

"Just some friendly advice, no need to get all worked up about it. My point is..." He took another drag off his cigar, this one painfully slow. "I want to know more about him. Do you know him?"

"Well after last night I do." Robin replied in a sarcastic whimsical tone, with an arrogant smirk.

She was insinuating that something else had happened after, even though she knew it didn't. She watched the obvious jealousy work it's way through him. Robin knew he hated the thought of her being with anyone else. It was one of the ways she'd learned to manipulate him, just a little. Crocodile was not one to be taken advantage of, but neither was she. She was no idiot. She knew why he wanted to know. Even though nothing had really happened, it was fun watching him squirm.

"Stop stating the obvious. _I'm_ the one who gives the orders around here!" Her boss growled. "I was asking you a question. So don't take that insolent tone with me."

"Alright. I don't know that much about him. What do you want to know?"

"Your next assignment will be to act as a spy... I think you know where this is going, sweetcheeks," Crocodile was still all smiles. "I want you to follow him. Interact with him if you have to, but just get some information out of him. I want to know his affiliation, who he works for, and what I'd like to know is exactly what kind of Pirate he is."

She would have loved to slap that sickening grin off his face... But it would have to wait. She knew she would be expected to comply at once.

"Then I'm off to do that. See you."

As she walked away, she couldn't see it, but his jaw dropped slightly. _'Damn... If that woman were any prettier, I'd have to reconsider letting her leave at all.'_

"Yes... See you. _Soon._" 

* * *

><p>Robin had been very deliberate when she hadn't told her boss everything she already knew about Ace. If nothing else, it could potentially buy her a little more time if she used what she already had on him when she reported back in. She should be able to see him several times before having to reveal what she already knew. She'd thought she would be in big trouble for even talking to him.<p>

She just hoped Crocodile didn't have something terrible planned for the poor guy. He seemed strong, so he could probably handle himself, but that didn't mean some terrible fate wouldn't befall him. And for some reason, she didn't want to have any part of that.

_'Why am I even worrying about this?' _She silently wondered. _'I shouldn't give a damn what happens to him. I didn't even know him until last night.' _

But she knew that was a lie. Even though they hadn't spent much time together, they had shared an unspoken bond that told her volumes about who he was, as a person. She already knew he wasn't the type to betray someone he considered a friend. Hell, she'd had a deeper conversation with him than she'd ever had with Crocodile or any of her previous business associates. She knew he was a decent person. It was a shame that her boss had taken an interest in him, whatever the reason. That almost never ended well.

"I hate it when my business and personal life get mixed up together..." Robin sighed to herself, on her way to the mailbox that stood on the outskirts of the city.

She passed by a lot of people, quietly muttering to herself angrily. They all stayed away from her. And today, she was glad that no one was talking to her. She didn't want to have anymore nonsense to deal with. She got lucky that there was no one around when it was time to slip the envelopes into the mailbox. It was marked simply 'B.W.' in elegant letters. She didn't know why he bothered with the anonymity. Everyone knew what it meant.

It didn't take long for her to take care of that one errand, just getting a bunch of plain white envelopes sent out. The Unluckies were a duo of creatures who worked for the same company she did. Robin knew she would be seeing a lot of the otter and vulture team soon. They were normally very secretive. This was how most orders were given out, and it also gave the boss a way to reach his employees without having to bother with direct contact. This is how Crocodile had managed to keep is identity a secret for so long. In addition, they were high ranking agents who were capable of carrying out an order to kill a member, if they didn't comply with his demands, or in the odd occurrence that they failed an important mission.

Of course the Billions would have to be informed too, so she'd made sure to send out an order to send letters to all of the people in charge of the different sects. They would need them for another plan later. Right now, the main thing was getting word out to the Officer Agents so they could all make their way here. Crocodile was finally planning to reveal himself, it seemed.

Having finished with her evil deed for the day, Robin began to work on tracking down her newest target... There was just one problem: She had no idea where he could have gone!

It occurred to her that the best thing to do was probably to just go back to the last place she'd seen him. She was sure he was long gone by now, but maybe she could ask around at the dock. If she could figure out which direction he'd gone, she might be able to track him down. If she couldn't find any trace of him at all, that was fine too. She'd just tell Crocodile she couldn't find him. There wasn't much else she could do about it, if he'd vanished.

It was the middle of the day. Surely someone must have seen him leaving. Before she could talk herself out of it, her feet had already led her there. She barely remembered the way, her memories of last night were hazy at best. She'd had to go back to her apartment and retrace her steps from there. It took the better part of an hour to make it all the way there, and that was walking at a brisk pace. It hadn't seemed like that long last night.

When Robin arrived at the docks, she hadn't been prepared for what she would see there. There had been no possible way she could have prepared herself for the sight of a disheveled, sleeping Pirate...

The sun shone onto his freckles, causing them to appear even darker in contrast to his gloriously pale skin. His black hair appeared to have been tousled, although he'd probably done it himself. Ace was draped haphazardly across the water, face down, his shiny boots propped up on the dock, and his upper torso resting inside his boat. It looked like he'd collapsed there. He made a loud and very discernable snoring noise.

_'Looks like he came back and passed out... Wow. Some Pirate...'_ She snorted. _'And he looks so innocent too.'_

There were various other people swarming around on the dock, some of which were merchants and others that were clearly fishermen. None of them seemed willing to bother the snoring Pirate. At least a few seemed to stay as far away from him as possible, probably recognizing the fearsome Whitebeard tattoo that was spread across his back. Robin couldn't help but chuckle to herself.

"Well, well, well..." She laughed outright. "If it isn't the scourge of the seven seas."

She'd expected her voice to awaken him. No such luck. He remained there, motionless, still sawing logs. His chest rose and fell as he muttered something unintelligible in his sleep, rolling over. How he didn't fall in the water was beyond her.

"Ace?" Robin leaned in closer. "Are you awake? Hey, come on..."

Extending a hesitant arm, she gently shook his shoulder. _'I touched him...' _She blushed, not even fully understanding why it was such a big deal to her. She knew she shouldn't care, but it somehow felt wrong to put her hands on him while he was asleep. _'I hope he doesn't attack me. He'll probably kill me once he does wake up.'_

The devil woman leaned in really close, still trying to wake him without causing too much of a scene. She didn't want anyone else to take note of their business together. She watched as his eyes slowly cracked open, the twin black pearls examining her sleepily.

"About time, sleeping beauty..."

"Aahhh!" His hands flew to his head, clutching at his temples in desperation. "Not so loud! It's early... Jeez."

He scrambled for the dock, pulling himself up to a sitting position. She didn't understand how he could be so limber and flexible, especially so soon after being awoken. He seemed to have perfect balance. He clearly wasn't even awake yet, and from the way he was rubbing his head, he probably had a massive headache just like she had. As if agreeing with her assumptions, Ace's face scrunched up in pain. The sun clearly wasn't helping any.

"Actually, it's the middle of the afternoon," Robin pointed out, leaning in closer. "And you probably have a hangover. Are you alright?"

"What's it to ya, stranger?" He smiled goofily, still half asleep.

"_Stranger?!_" She could have slapped him right then.

"Please don't take offense, I... I just woke up. What did we... Oh god, not again!" His eyes went wide. He stared at the log pose that was strapped around his wrist. "Wow, look at that! I've got to get going!"

"Why the rush?"

He looked at his boat, seeming to consider something. He apparently wanted to get as far away from her as possible. He rambled out a hasty sentence, the words spoken so fast that they began to run together. "If something happened last night, then I'm really sorry and I regret it and didn't mean to- I mean, I should probably just go."

Rummaging through things, Ace saw the bottle of sake that had been nearly emptied. He'd had a bit more when he got back, before he'd passed out. He put it back in the little compartment. Putting two and two together, he'd obviously assumed they had emptied it together. He'd gone on to assume that they'd done things he didn't even want to think about, and she was probably here for some kind of retribution, or to find out if it had been just physical or- Maybe he was getting carried away with himself.

"How did you even find me?"

Robin tried a different approach. "Do _you_ even remember last night? We met at the bar, but then you scared off those guys who assaulted me. We came out here just to have a drink together."

"Oh yeah, you do look kinda familiar..." Ace squinted.

"Yes. What exactly do you think we did?" She giggled.

He breathed a sigh of relief. "Didn't I walk you home or something?"

"Something like that."

"Oh..." He stood up, now towering over her. She was a tall woman but he was still taller. "And that was it, right? I barely remember. Forgot for a second... Guess I do have a bit of a hangover. Thanks for waking me."

He seemed to trust her. That was good. It was important to suit her own ends that he was trusting of her. If he thought she would betray him, then he was doing a really good job of hiding it. She'd probably already proven herself to him ten times over though. And Robin had a knack for being able to tell whether people were genuine or not. As far as she could sense, he was being sincere as well.

"Don't mention it. So... Where is it you're off to?"

"Just cruising through Alabasta, at the moment."

"So you're new around here?" She pressed, not wanting to ask for too much invasive information at once. What she really wanted to ask was why he was 'cruising through Alabasta' at all, but she let it rest. She resolved to save that for another time.

"Like I said last night, I'm just passing through. I know I don't belong here. I don't belong anywhere really, except on the open ocean. I can't stay too long," He got to his feet and checked out his boat. It seemed okay and he turned toward her with a grin. "I was actually about to take off this morning, but things got out of hand. Heh."

"That's right," She nodded, taking a step away from him when he stood. "You did mention something about leaving this morning, I think."

"Can I ask you a serious question?"

"Hm? What is it?"

Ace began to advance on her. "Do I scare you?"

"I..." She was at a loss for words. "I don't know how to answer that. I mean... You _are_ a Pirate, so..."

"I have the feeling you're somewhat used to dealing with Pirates. I could be wrong, but I don't think so."

_'Oh crap! He's onto me!' _

He was stepping closer to her. Every time she took a step backward, Ace would take two steps forward. Her foot caught the edge of one of the planks that connected to form the dock they were standing on. She lost her footing and nearly went sailing backward again. Ace caught her, his muscular arms wrapping around her narrow waist in a split second. It all happened so fast, it was like one fluid motion. He had to be careful not to let his passion get the best of him. She got the distinct feeling of deja vu... Something just like this had happened the previous night.

"Careful. Don't let your guard down, miss."

Robin would be sure to take that warning to heart, even if she didn't say so. "Thank you." She casually dusted herself off. "And I told you not to call me miss. It's Robin."

"That's right... How could I forget?" He removed his hat, bowing lightly to her, before placing it back atop his head. The demon medallion attached to it hung halfway down his chest, sitting just perfectly between his bare pecs. "This even feels familiar..."

She thought she might die of shame if he didn't let her go right then, and stop getting so close to her. Robin wasn't used to any kind of physical contact, so she'd moved away from him as soon as she realized she wasn't going to fall.

"I've got to get off this stupid dock..." She muttered, turning away.

"Then why did you come back to it? You seem to have a lot of trouble with it, _Robin._"

_'Robin...'_ She paused in her steps._ 'He said my name... Like that...' _

The way he'd just used her name made her shiver. She wasn't even sure _why_, but it happened. Luckily, he didn't seem to notice.

"I came back to check on you, to make sure you made it back alright."

"Obviously I did," His grin was spreading wider, like wildfire. "Then I fell asleep."

"Shouldn't you have gone home to do that?"

"Again, Pirate. Home is wherever I make it. Right now, this boat is my home. She's never let me down yet." He winked. "Though I'm surprised you didn't invite me home with you, since you're so kind."

"Of all the-!" Robin's jaw dropped. "What kind of woman do you think I am?" She demanded, crossing her arms over her chest. That had become her classic defensive pose.

"A beautiful one." The words rolled off his tongue effortlessly, before he could stop them.

_'I... How do I respond to that?' _

"Alright, fine. But you're going to have to tell me what I want to know."

"And what is that?"

"I'll get around to it." Said the mysterious woman, already halfway to the shore without him. They'd caused a scene anyway, all eyes were on them. "I guess we'll be seeing each other around."

"Guess so," Ace wasted no time in boarding The Striker. Once everything was secured, he leaned back against the mast lazily. "I'll be on my way now. Nice seeing you again."

"Likewise."

That was the last word she said to him. Robin watched the Pirate's skin blaze to life. His legs, his feet, and everything below his knees suddenly caught fire. A normal person would have panicked, but she watched him with a smile.

Ace caused quite a commotion among the people who crowded the dock, using his Devil Fruit abilities to propel his vessel forward. He went in a circle and then spiraled out toward the sea. He waved to her, once he was on his way. Robin waved back. She wasn't sure how she would track him down, but as long as he was still going to be in the country, she would.

She'd thought that was the end of it, but an elderly man with a scruffy gray beard came running across the dock. He stopped right by the place where Ace's boat had been, only minutes ago. There was no sign of the man who'd just departed. There was nothing left, not even the smallest trail, to indicate that he'd just been in the vicinity. Nothing but their memories of him remained...

"Hey! Get back here!" The man shouted, shaking his fist at the ocean. "Filthy scoundrel!"

"What did he do?" The woman asked, mostly out of curiosity. She was supposed to be getting information on him, and it seemed she was getting plenty to go on.

"He never paid our port fee for docking here! He came in a couple of days ago, saying he'd have the money before he left. He was supposed to come find me."

"I'll handle his port fees." She offered.

"Oh no miss, I wouldn't expect you to do that."

"It's fine," Robin insisted. "We're friends. He'll pay me back later. How much is it?"

"Two hundred Beri."

That sounded about right. At least the guy wasn't trying to rip her off. After handing over the money, she immediately left the docks. She needed to get something to eat, and possibly grab another drink or two. This whole situation was too much to even take in.

"Ugh... _Pirates._" Robin muttered under her breath, shaking her head as she walked away. 


	4. Chapter 4

**Renegade Hearts**  
><strong>by Kaline Reine<strong>

**Disclaimer: I do not own One Piece or any of the characters/settings. This is just a fanfiction story. I claim nothing.**

**WARNINGS: This story contains (or may contain) graphic adult content and language, explicit sex scenes which may or may not be consensual, violence, cursing, dark and/or adult themes, etc. I do not censor my writing, but I do warn people about the subject matter and potential subject matter. Not all of my stories contain such things, but many of them will. So if you don't like that kind of thing or can't handle it, then I suggest not reading this story. You have been warned. **

**In other words, children please avert your eyes. Thank you. (I will leave this warning on every chapter, just to make sure people see it. I doubt this particular story is going to be all that bad, but I tend to get carried away sometimes, so you never know.)**

* * *

><p><strong>Chapter 4: <strong>

She'd gone out to the docks that stood on the poor side of Rainbase every day that week. So far, there was absolutely no sign of him. The ruthless Pirate who had saved her and promptly left her behind was long gone... Robin detested men who did that. He'd graced her with his stunning presence, and then vanished, snuffed out like a candle in the night.

High noon was vast approaching, and she was currently on board a ship, headed out to sea. She'd asked several traveling merchants for a lift back at the docks, until finally she'd found one who was headed out her way. She had to find someone to get her out to the ship before it was too late. She couldn't allow Bon Kurei and his crew to reach Alabasta before she could intercept them.

She'd reported back to Crocodile the day after Ace's departure. The only thing she'd told him was that he was a Whitebeard Pirate. She claimed not to know anything else, and her boss seemed to have believed her. It's not like she really knew much more than that anyway.

The wind blew her midnight black hair, causing it to whip around her delicate face. She was watching the waves as they raced by. The sails of the small vessel had caught a nice cross breeze and it was carrying them across the water with blinding speed. There were no islands around here, only the ocean and the sky to guide them.

"The weather's nice out today..." Remarked the ship's Captain. He was a middle-aged man, and very easygoing, but he was the serious type too. He casually steered them toward the direction his log pose indicated. He seemed to be fairly good at navigating.

"Sure is," She replied, moving her bangs out of her face. It did little good. "I should be able to leave soon. Thank you for the ride."

"Don't mention it. I was coming out here anyway. Where are you headed exactly? You only mentioned the general direction, not your destination."

"I'm meeting a friend out here. He has a ship. We should run into them soon."

"I hope not," He laughed dryly. "That's not too good for my boat."

Robin joined the man in his laughter. Nothing wrong with enjoying some pleasant company. It wasn't the best joke in the world, but it was better than nothing. At least he wasn't charging her anything, which was good, since he wasn't going that far out of his way for her. It was a nice arrangement.

As if on cue, the ship in question was sighted. She'd recognize the light pink decor along the entire ship and the overdone sails anywhere. It was flashy and gaudy, just like it's captain.

"Ah, here it is... Time for me to jump ship. Thank you ever so much." She bowed, already letting herself appear to fall overboard.

"Take care!" The man called, waving her off.

Robin caught herself with her hands. Dozens of them sprang up from the side of his boat, extending her outward. She dangled over the waves for a moment. Dozens more greeted her from the side of Bon Kurei's ship, stretching across to meet the other set of arms. The appendages pulled her up and onto the deck almost effortlessly.

No one seemed to even notice her presence at first. Their Captain was busy shouting out orders to his deck hands, via a Den Den Mushi intercom system. It was definitely his voice, high pitched and feminine. They obeyed him without question. She knew that each member of his crew was actually a part of the Billions sent by Baroque Works to aide him.

One of them finally noticed the odd woman standing in the middle of the main deck. He halted, and turned toward her.

"Oi! What's your business here?"

"I am a Baroque Works officer. I'm here to talk to Mr. Two." She stated her business with an authoritative tone. "If he's available, that is."

"Alrighty," The man led her right to him.

They went up a small flight of stairs, and into a cabin. It was rather lavish inside. A beaded curtain led into an even smaller room that adjoined the main one. That was when she caught sight of his familiar face. Robin could have gagged at the sight of his crazy drag queen makeup and feminine attire... He really was too much to bear sometimes. But despite his quirky nature, Bon Kurei was a fairly nice guy. She'd seen pictures of him and also spoken with him over Den Den Mushi several times.

She knew that his real name was Bentham, and he had eaten the Mane Mane no Mi, which allowed him to copy the appearance of others. Being second in command, she was privilege to information that other Agents were not allowed to see.

"Who are you?" He asked her, flatly.

"I beg your pardon for the intrusion, Mr. Two, but it was urgent that I speak with you before you set foot in Alabasta. I'm with Baroque Works."

"Funny... No one told me a Baroque Works officer would be meeting us here. This letter doesn't say a thing about it." He shoved the piece of paper in her face, haughtily.

"Maybe not," She smirked, knowing she still had the upper hand. "But I'm the one who sent out those letters."

"What's your name, girl? And how did you even get on board?"

"You may call me Miss All Sunday. And I let myself aboard."

His eyes widened. Bon Kurei choked on a gasp, and was unable to speak for several seconds. "Y-you... You're Miss... _Oh._" He fell to his knees, bowing at her feet. "_I see._ I'm so sorry, please forgive me!"

She was a little surprised that he didn't kiss her boots. It was hard to believe this was the Pirate her boss had told her about. Apparently, he had the ability to copy other people's appearances, changing his face at will. That ability just might come in handy...

"It's fine," Robin smiled at him. She felt she could probably win him over with kindness. "Do you mind if I sit down?"

"Of course not, go right ahead." He pulled out a chair for her. "Actually, wait right here. I'll have my cook bring you a cup of tea. What kind do you like?"

"Earl Grey is good, if you have it."

"Sure we do, be right back!" He sauntered off to do just that. He returned only moments later, taking the seat across from her at the modestly sized frilly pink table. "So what brings you here today?"

As soon as he'd set down the tray with the tea, she'd taken the small pot and poured it herself. She liked that he'd allowed her to do that. It made her feel more comfortable. And she knew he didn't put anything in her drink, at least not directly. He'd be drinking from the same pot, so if it were poisoned, he would be partaking of it too. She waited until he'd taken several sips before taking her first.

"I guess it would better serve my purpose to get right to the point. I've heard you can change your face... I am highly interested in that ability. I also need to see proof of your identity, and that's the only way to know for sure. Would you mind showing me?"

"Not a problem."

Bon Kurei leaned forward and extended his right hand to her, lightly touching her face with his palm. Both of his hands passed over his head and... She blinked, and he had her exact features. Even her body type. And it had only taken him a second.

"Wow..." She breathed. "It's like looking into a mirror."

"You see?" His voice echoed her own, matching almost perfectly in pitch. "I can always back up my claims, and my stellar reputation. I can do this with anyone. Over time, I've copied a lot of people's faces. Some of them famous, others just blending in with the riffraff."

He proceeded to change his face several more times, just for amusement. He flashed through a various assortment of people. He could indeed back up his claims.

"That's very useful. How long does it last?"

"Until I do this," He touched his face with his left hand, and it went back to normal immediately. "Though I've never tested it for extremely long periods of time, I'm confident that I could keep it up for quite a while. I've gone several weeks with someone else's face without anyone uncovering my true identity."

"My, my... That's certainly fascinating... _Bentham._" Robin made sure he heard what she'd called him. She sipped from her teacup nonchalantly.

"Why... How did... How did you know _that_ name?!" His jaw dropped in a comical fashion, his red lipstick giving him a clownish appearance.

"Ohhh, let's just say I have my ways..." She giggled, crossing her legs and taking another sip of tea. "I _am_ second in command, you know."

"That's right. I didn't know Mr. Zero would trust you with such valuable information. You must be quite the Agent."

"Perhaps... But this isn't about me."

"So what do you want with me? Stop playing games. Am I in some kind of trouble?"

"Alright," After seeming to consider something for a moment, she hesitated. "I'll level with you. But before I do, you must promise me complete and utter secrecy. This is something that must stay between the two of us."

"Fair enough," Bon Kurei waved over the man who'd found her wandering around the ship and escorted her in to see him. "Would you mind giving us some privacy? This is a very serious matter. Stand guard outside and see to it that I'm not disturbed. Have everyone work on their Ken Po or dance routines or something. Just keep them busy."

"Aye aye, sir!" With a salute, he was already on his way out.

"Thank you for your cooperation." Robin smiled pleasantly. She waited until the Billion was gone, before continuing. "You are about to be taken to meet Mr. Zero himself, after passing clearance at the designated rendezvous point, which we all know to be Spiders Cafe, correct?"

"That's right."

"And upon meeting him, well... Let's just say I have some inside information that could potentially be of great help to you. If you're lucky, you might even escape the encounter with your life."

"What are you getting at?" He suddenly frowned, his expression very unpleasant. "Are you saying I'm walking into a trap?"

"Not exactly." Robin smirked. "I'm just looking out for things that I see coming later down the line, that's all. Things like betrayal. I'll be blunt... I know he's planning to get rid of some of his lackeys. That's why I'm here today."

"Oh god!" She could see the panic go through him, as he took a dive under the small table. "H-he sent you here to kill me, _didn't he?!_" He looked quite pitiful, with his legs sticking out the back.

"No. Let me finish." She held up a hand, watching him hesitantly creep back into his seat. "Actually, he doesn't even know I'm here right now. And I'd appreciate it if you'd keep my little visit a secret, also."

"Of course, I can do that! No problem. My lips are sealed, ehehe..." He tried to laugh it off, but it came out a nervous chuckle anyway.

"I'm prepared to ensure that nothing bad happens to you while visiting with Cr- with Mr. Zero..." Robin watched the excitement pour across his face, before becoming stern once again. "But I'd like it if we could strike a deal."

"What kind of deal? Now you've piqued my interest."

"The kind of deal where I make sure nothing bad happens to you. I'll grant you my protection for the duration of this meeting, as well as later during the events in Alabasta that will follow."

"And in exchange...?" He twirled his wrist in a circular motion, urging her to continue.

"In exchange, you will owe me a life debt, since I will have prolonged yours. I have a plan that will make great use of your unique talents. Should I ever have need of them, I'd like to know that I have access to them. I won't divulge the specifics until it's time. And that won't happen for a good long while, but I want to make sure we're on the same side."

Bon Kurei seemed to think it over for a moment. "Alright, I guess I don't see the harm in it. It is to my advantage to be protected when I meet him. He is a dangerous man in a position of extreme power, after all."

"I'm glad we could come to an agreement." Robin smiled cheerfully, placing her empty teacup back on the tray in front of her. "Shake on it?"

As soon as she extended her hand, he nodded. The two shook on this strange arrangement they had just made. Bon Kurei wasn't exactly certain what he might have to do later, but he could figure that out when the time came. If she was his friend, he wanted to help her anyway. She seemed to be looking out for him, at least.

Robin continued, standing up. "And thank you for the tea. I should be going soon."

"Me too. But what's the hurry?"

"Nothing, I just want to get out of here before he finds out I was ever on board. I'll be borrowing one of your rowboats to get back to shore. Hope you don't mind."

"It's fine, I've got dozens." He laughed, a true laugh this time. "But I have one final piece of information for you, before you go... You did help me by giving my a bit of information, so I should return the favor, right?"

"I'm all ears."

"Ever heard of the Strawhat Pirates?"

"Of course. I hear they're a small band of rookies that are becoming more well-known lately. Apparently some of them have rather high bounties. They're a crew that we might have to watch out for, but I don't think the boss is too terribly worried about them."

"I don't know about that," He put his half-finished teacup on the table with hers. "But I can confirm that the Strawhat Pirates are on their way to Alabasta."

"How do you know?"

"I encountered them on my way here... I was alerted to their identity after the fact. I made nice with them, so they think we're friends. I was also able to touch several of their faces. I just thought I'd let you know."

"I see..." Robin nodded solemnly, cracking a smile. "I'll have to take that into consideration as well. Thank you for the information."

"No problem at all. Is there anything else to this little chat, or are we done for now?" He seemed to be fidgeting in his seat.

"Nope, that's it... We'll be in contact here and there, but we'll have to communicate in secret for the time being. And remember, not a word that I was here."

"You could always use the news about the Strawhats as a cover story. That way, he wouldn't be suspicious and we'd have nothing to hide."

"Hmm... This is true..." She got up, and began to walk toward the door to let herself out. "I'll have to cross that bridge when I come to it. Thanks for the heads up anyway. I'd better be going. And remember, when we are introduced at the meeting... You don't know me. We'll be in touch."

"Right." Bon Kurei followed her out, and motioned for one of his crew members to come over. "Escort this lovely lady to a rowboat. See to it that she gets out safely."

The man nodded and led her to a small wooden boat. It had a figurehead that was carved in the shape of a delicate swan. There were a lot of those on his ship. They matched the twin swans that peeked from either side of Bon Kurei's strange outfit.

Robin climbed into the small vessel and waited for several of the Billions to lower her down onto the rolling waves. Taking the oars, she steadily rowed herself away from the ship. She didn't particularly like being this close to the ocean with her Devil Fruit powers, but it couldn't be helped. She had to get on board his ship and then away from it, unnoticed. If Crocodile knew she had left Alabasta's shores without his permission, she'd never hear the end of it. And it was very important to her plan that he didn't know about any of this. 

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><p>When she walked into her boss's office, she found him waiting for her. Crocodile seemed to have his mind on business today. Robin tried not to read too much into it, but something wasn't sitting quite right with her. She had the nagging, sinking feeling that he'd been spying on her. But she said nothing of it.<p>

"Good morning, sweetcheeks... What have you found out?"

"I wish you wouldn't call me that."

"I wish a lot of things."

"Just don't say anything like that in front of the Officer Agents." Robin rolled her eyes defiantly.

"Wouldn't dream of it," Crocodile smirked. "Besides, I need them to respect you. As my second in command, you're extremely important to my plans. No, it's better to keep it our little secret."

"Whatever. Just get to the point."

"On to business..." He leered at her, leaning forward. "What have you learned? Do you have any new information for me? Have the other Agents arrived yet?"

"The Billions seem to be taking their sweet time," Robin told him, honestly. "But most of the Officer Agents have either already arrived at the rendezvous point, or they're on their way. They should all be here within a few days."

"Alright, good... Anything else?" He paused to slick back his oily hair.

She didn't know what he was fishing for. "I've also been alerted that the Strawhat Pirates are on their way to Alabasta. Or it looks that way..."

Telling him about it would be beneficial to her, either way. Robin was unable to tell whether he knew about her visit with Bon Kurei or not. If he didn't know, it wouldn't matter much. But if he did, and she didn't say anything, he would be furious. So in the event that he did know, she could just say she ran into him and he told her about the Strawhats. They could even pass that off as the reason for their meeting, if he became too suspicious. And now, if she were questioned about it later, she could at least say she told him about it.

"_What?_" He seemed stunned for a moment, his cigar hanging haphazardly from between his lips. She kept waiting for it to fall, but it didn't. "That's not good! I didn't count them in the equation when I considered this plan. Having them around might throw things off."

"How would you like me to handle the situation?"

There were lots of things he might have her do... He could instruct her to kill all of them. She was fairly sure she could dispose of their entire crew with ease, but she wasn't so sure about the Captain himself.

"You know what, Robin?" He rarely ever called her by her full name. It was either some stupid pet name he'd dreamed up, or her code name. Never her real one. "I'm gonna let you handle this one. Do what you see fit, but handle it."

"As you wish, sir." She bowed to him, already turning to leave. She had a lot of things to do and not much time to do them. "Leave it to me."

"Before you go, I have a question..." He purred, licking his lips. "I'd like to know what you think. Is it possible that the Strawhats and the Pirate you encountered outside the bar the other night could be related in some way? Do you think they're part of the same crew?"

"Hmm... It's doubtful, but I can try to look into it."

"Do that. And Miss All Sunday?"

"Yes sir?" She hesitated, her hand just inches from the handle of the door.

"I'm very pleased with the results of your endeavors so far."

Robin didn't say another word to him. They'd said all that needed to be said, for the moment. She was too focused on trying to figure out what Ace could have to do with the Strawhats. The Whitebeard Pirates weren't affiliated with them. So how could that be? She felt like she was missing something... 

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><p><strong>AN: Oooh, a chapter with actual plot stuff... xD I cannot believe this, but I had to stay up really late and literally hide at my desk with the lights off just to write this chapter. I had to type every word really quietly. People bother me way too much when I'm trying to do stuff. If it weren't for my mad ninja skills, I'd probably never get any writing done, ever. Lol... I just hope someone out there likes it! Thanks for reading and kudos for making it this far. I didn't expect it to get much attention since it's not a really popular pairing, but I wanted to do it anyway. Just for funsies! c; **

**-Kaline**


	5. Chapter 5

**Renegade Hearts**  
><strong>by Kaline Reine<strong>

**Disclaimer: I do not own One Piece or any of the characters/settings. This is just a fanfiction story. I claim nothing.**

**WARNINGS: This story contains (or may contain) graphic adult content and language, explicit sex scenes which may or may not be consensual, violence, cursing, dark and/or adult themes, etc. I do not censor my writing, but I do warn people about the subject matter and potential subject matter. Not all of my stories contain such things, but many of them will. So if you don't like that kind of thing or can't handle it, then I suggest not reading this story. You have been warned. **

**In other words, children please avert your eyes. Thank you. (I will leave this warning on every chapter, just to make sure people see it. I doubt this particular story is going to be all that bad, but I tend to get carried away sometimes, so you never know.)**

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><p><strong>Chapter 5: <strong>

Robin didn't have much left to do, other than wait. They were still waiting for the rest of the Officer Agents to arrive, before putting their plans into motion. That wouldn't be happening for another few days, at best. All she could do was allow for things to fall into place. When they did, she would be ready...

At the moment, she was off duty. She'd spent the first half of the day engrossed in a novel she'd been reading. It was a classic romance novel. Not the usual scholarly type thing she'd read, but after giving the first few chapters a chance, she'd been surprised how much she liked it.

_'Love... What a strange concept.' _

She was spending the rest of the afternoon walking around town. Her favorite thing about walking around like this was that she could listen in on other people's conversations. The bits and pieces of information she gathered while out and about usually ended up being helpful to her job. And today was no exception. She'd paused just outside a book store to reminisce and browse through several pages of a book, before discarding it. Then she'd caught wind of an odd conversation.

"And then he suddenly burst into flames!" A young girl was telling a guy she was walking with.

"Really? No! You're kidding!" He sounded shocked. But then, who wouldn't be?

"Yes! I'm telling you..." She grabbed onto his arm in a loving manner. This gave Robin the impression that the two were a couple. "I saw it with my own eyes."

Her brown hair complimented her dark eyes, as she bounced around next to him happily. She was young, probably just a teenager. He was around the same age or maybe a little older. They made a cute couple.

"Why was I not around?" A hint of jealousy laced his voice.

"It happened when I was out with my mother earlier. She saw it too. And it didn't even damage his boat!"

At this point, Robin was following them. She was trying to be as inconspicuous as possible. She pretended to be browsing through outfits at a clothing store.

"Wow. Sounds crazy."

"It was!" The girl was saying. "We saw him park it along the docks and jump off, like nothing ever happened. I don't know what was wrong with him, maybe he's some kind of daredevil or something. I think-"

"Hey," Her boyfriend nudged her, obviously trying to get her to stop talking about the other guy who had caught her interest. "Why don't we check out some of the shops around here? We'll only be in town for a few more days. It seems like a waste not to try everything, you know?"

She had gathered from their conversation and their attire that they were probably tourists.

"Okay, sounds fun!"

The two continued their chatter, until they'd faded out of Robin's hearing range. She smiled. She'd already heard everything she needed to.

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><p>Robin had immediately gone off in search of him. With a smile on her face, she'd made her way back down to the docks. She saw that The Striker was indeed docked there... But there was no sign of him. She'd asked around the area, but no one claimed to have seen him. She had suspicions that some of them might be lying, but she couldn't afford to make a scene right now.<p>

Sighing, she turned to head back into town. She preferred the nicer and more well-known side of Rainbase anyway.

_'Where could he be?'_ She scratched her head, trying to figure out where the best place to look for him would be. _'Maybe at a bar... But it's a little early for that. It's still the middle of the day. He could be eating... But there are so many restaurants here. It would be impossible to track him down, since I don't know his eating habits. Maybe he's gone shopping for supplies? He could even be meeting someone here, for all I know.' _

She just couldn't figure it out. And why had he come back already? He was in nearly the same place as when they'd parted ways. Something about all of it just didn't add up. She decided the best possible guess would be to head back toward headquarters. Maybe Crocodile had some other task for her, or he would have some leads about the strange Pirate. She resolved to report back in, unless she spotted him on the way there. She'd take the long way around before giving up.

Robin was walking through the glamorous city, sifting through various places. Halfway there, she spotted a familiar orange cowboy hat, among the crowd. She sauntered over to the modest little clothing store he was currently wandering around.

Everything was coated in a fine layer of dust. The walls were barely there and the boards looked like they'd been through hell. The whole place could probably use a good coat of paint and some serious remodeling. The old shopkeeper was already eyeing him suspiciously. Before Robin could sneak up on him, he turned and saw her.

"Oi! Handy lady!" He flagged her down before she could downplay the situation.

Robin had no choice but to respond with a little wave. "Hi there... How are you doing?"

She grimaced at the affectionate nickname she'd apparently received. It was alright, she supposed... Could be worse. There was little doubt he was calling her that because of her ability. She pretended to have only just noticed him. It wouldn't be good if he figured out he was being followed.

"Hmm... Not good." He frowned.

_'Crud... Is he on to me?' _

"What's wrong? Have you gotten yourself into trouble already?"

"Something like that," Ace perked back up a little when she walked over to him. "I was looking for something to wear... You know, in the desert."

She paused to look him up and down... He was still shirtless. It made her wonder how he avoided getting sunburned. Then again, having the power to use fire could have something to do with it. He was wearing the same black shorts as the first time she'd seen him. She hadn't noticed the orange belt, with the flashy bright 'A' etched onto the belt buckle in the middle of it. The 'A' stood dead center, right above his groin. She resisted the urge to let her gaze linger there for too long.

"As a Pirate, you're used to the sun, right? You can always go as you are."

"Shhh..." He leaned in close to her, catching her off guard. His breath hit her face, causing her to want to pull back. But she resisted the urge. "Not so loud. That's a secret." He winked.

_'Why did he have to do that? I think I might lose it...'_ Robin took a step back to steady herself, but it was pointless. He took one to counter it, still in her personal space. _'Does he have boundary issues or...? I wonder if he has this effect on all women.'_

"Oh s-sorry," She stammered. "It wouldn't be good for people to know you're a- Well, you know."

"It's alright, no harm done. Actually I'm glad I ran into you." He cracked a half-cocked smile.

"Why is that?"

"I could really use some help figuring this out."

"It looks like you've already got it figured out," Robin deliberately let her eyes rake over his half naked body this time. "Looks pretty good to me."

_'To hell with it.' _

He didn't seem to mind... Or notice. Why were men so oblivious?

"Nah, I need something more... sun resistant, maybe? Say... How long have you lived here?"

"Years, actually."

It was the truth. Nico Robin had been living in this god forsaken desert for several years now, under the protection of Crocodile. If she left Alabasta, he would no longer be able to offer her full protection. Baroque Works could help her if she had to go away on a mission, but not everything could be entrusted to them.

So she'd been staying at Rain Dinners for a while, and later she'd moved into her modest little apartment across town. Luckily, she only had to report there for work. She was seen as a member of the casino's staff.

"Could you maybe... Nah, nevermind." Ace waved her away, dismissively. He seemed to have considered something, but then thought better of it.

"No, what is it?" He'd already piqued Robin's curiosity. Now there was no going back.

"Would you mind helping me pick something out? Or just give me some general advice, maybe? I'm not familiar with traditional Alabasta attire, and I want to blend in with the locals more."

_'It's hopeless,' _She sighed. _'I'm stuck with him.'_

"Sure, I don't mind at all. I think the first thing you'll need is a shirt."

She was seriously hoping that he'd cover up. Being only half dressed with all those muscles was too... distracting.

"Shirt's aren't my style," Ace replied, nonchalantly. "They're too warm. You know, _powers..._" He whispered the last part into her ear, causing her to have to ignore the shivers that rolled down her spine. He seemed to linger there. "I hope I'm not bothering you by asking for your help. I'll understand if you have too much to do."

"That makes sense... Don't worry, I'm not busy anyway. Maybe we should have a look around for a bit. I'm sure you'll find something. I could recommend a better shop than this one. I think it'll suit your tastes more. Follow me."

Before he could decline, Robin was already walking out of the quaint little shop. He'd asked for her help and he was going to get it. She didn't have a lot of time for nonsense, but maybe she could gain something useful from all of this.

Ace followed her into the busy street. There seemed to be a lot of people out shopping today. It wasn't easy for him to keep up with her and he was afraid he might lose her in the crowd. He managed to find her every time he lost her, somehow spotting her even as she mixed in with all the other people. Maybe it was the graceful way she moved, but something about her kept catching his eye...

"Is it like this every day?" He asked.

"Like what?"

"So many people running around... It's crowded."

"They're always here," Robin laughed, falling back to match his pace as they walked together. "Mostly tourists, visiting the casino. That's why there are so many people. Rainbase is famous for it's gambling and lavishness. This city mostly caters to the upper class, although as you've seen, there is a poor side of town. It's rarely talked about."

"I see... I didn't know that."

They passed by several restaurants and shops, until they finally passed by another clothing store. It was fancier than the other one, with a more modern edge to it. The store even smelled good, though whether it was just the perfume of the pretty blonde lady at the counter or the store itself was impossible to tell. Regardless, it left a pleasant impression upon anyone who entered. Robin knew they had a good reputation among the locals. Ace could tell just from looking in the windows that they had a lot of cool stuff.

"You were right! This looks like my kinda place!" The notorious Pirate rushed in, happily.

When Robin joined him, he was already plundering the shelves, looking for anything that struck his interest. They both looked through the boutique for a while... She found a few things she thought he might like, but he kept turning his nose up.

"So picky..." She sighed, putting another garment down.

"How about this one, then?" Ace's grin was huge.

He'd found something truly terrifying, especially for his female accomplice. His outstretched hands held up a black speedo thong. At first she thought maybe it was something from the female side of the store, but surprisingly, it was made for men. She didn't know what it was doing in the swimwear department. It couldn't really be considered a bathing suit. More like lingerie or something.

"U-uhh... Um, well..." Robin faltered, unsure of what to even say. "It's certainly ahh... I don't think it's... I mean, it's not really your- It's barely a scrap of cloth! Are you sure?"

"It's cute how flustered you can get. And just over clothes too... Haha, I had you pegged for a prude, but I didn't know it was this bad." The Pirate teased. "You should see your face! It's bright red!"

He lightly elbowed her ribs in a friendly manner. He had to be careful to pull his strength so he didn't actually hurt her. It still made her shuffle to one side, more from the contact than anything. Robin had a thing about people touching her. She'd never enjoyed close company, being naturally very distrustful of people. And for good reason.

"Don't blame me for having a better taste in fashion than you." She teased him right back, recovering quickly.

Ace was already putting the 'garment' back on the shelf. "You were right, at least. There's no way I'd be caught dead in that."

_'That's kind of a shame... What am I thinking?!' _She mentally scolded herself. _'Get a grip!'_

"The first thing you should probably look for is something to shield yourself from the sun," She steered the conversation back toward being serious. "It doesn't have to be a shirt."

"That's a good idea... Do you have anything in mind?"

Robin continued to look around. She found an area that was full of different cloaks. They had all kinds, in various colors and styles.

"You'll find that many of the locals wear things like this," She tugged at one of them. "Each one in this store is custom made, so you won't find another like it anywhere. A lot of them have zippers, but if it's too warm, you can always wear it open."

What she said was the truth. If things went the way she wanted them to, this could work out for her benefit. Having something unique would make it easier to find him from now on... Especially in crowded areas, which Rainbase was known for. She doubted he would pick up on that.

Ace thumbed through several different ones. He hadn't found one that struck his interest yet, but he continued to look. Several minutes later, he finally took one from the rack.

"What about this one?" He held up a long black cloak. Bright orange flames ran around the bottom edge and at the base of the sleeves.

"It's lacking a little. The ones with hoods are usually more expensive, and will shield you from the sun better," Robin explained, grabbing one corner of it and fanning it open. "But it looks decent enough to keep the scorching sun off your back. You like it because of the flames, huh?"

"Maybe..." He shrugged, not wanting to let her know how well she'd just read him. "I have my hat to help with that, so I don't need one with a hood anyway."

"I think you should get it. I mean, if you like it."

"I think I will," Ace's grin widened. "What else do you think I'll need?"

"Something to carry water, obviously. They should have that further down, at the bizarre. I'll show you where it is later."

"Alright. Anything else?"

"I don't know, you already seem really well prepared."

"I'm always prepared for anything, doll." He winked.

Robin tried to ignore the tingly feelings it gave her. She thought for a moment, trying to figure out what else he might need. "A lot of the people here use scarves to protect their faces during sandstorms. They happen fairly often."

"Thanks for the heads up," He grabbed a plain white one on the way to the counter. "This should do."

"Not so picky now, are you?" Robin giggled.

He placed everything in front of the register. It was nice that there was no wait in line. It was the middle of the day, and everyone was probably at the restaurants eating lunch or something.

"Your total comes to one thousand fifty Beri. Did you find everything okay?" The woman at the counter asked, when he walked up to pay.

Ace just reached into his green and black striped bag and handed her the money. "Yep, found everything just fine, thanks to my guide here." He gestured toward Robin, who only smiled.

After he'd paid for his purchase, she led him outside. It felt a bit awkward to be leaving a store together. Ace didn't seem phased by it though.

"Hey thanks a lot for helping me out today... I owe you one."

"Actually, you owe me two." It was Robin's turn to smirk.

"What?" He blinked in confusion.

"When you departed from the docks last time, an old man ran after you, but he was too late. You were already long gone. He said you still owed him port fees for docking your boat. So I paid them for you."

"I'm so sorry. I should've remembered to pay him before I took off like that. Don't know where my manners are lately." Ace reached into his pocket and pulled out several shiny gold doubloons. "This should cover it. I'm afraid you'll have to have them appraised though. I don't have much more cash, just enough to get something to eat."

"It was only two hundred Beri, these are probably worth more than that."

"They might not be worth anything at all." He admitted, seeming embarrassed. His cheeks had darkened to a slightly reddish hue, making his freckles stand out sharply in contrast.

"Where did you get them?"

"Why so nosey?" He teased. "Maybe they're from a sunken treasure or maybe they were from a bounty that I turned some lowlife in for. I can't remember..."

_'He... He's turned people in? For money?' _

That struck a chord deep within her... A familiar one. That was what had happened to her, time and time again. She'd been running her entire life. Exactly because of people just like him, who wanted to make a quick buck.

Right now she wanted, more than anything, to get as far away from him as possible. The minute he found out about how high her bounty was, he would most likely turn on her too. Especially since he was already strapped for cash. There was just no way to trust Pirates, even the ones who seemed good... She knew from habit that most people turned out to be bad anyway.

"Did I say something wrong?"

"No, it's fine." She crossed her arms over her chest. "I should go..."

"Alright, well... I was hoping that..." Ace trailed off. He seemed to notice that she had suddenly become very cold toward him.

"What?"

"It's nothing. Thank you again. Be seeing you."

"Yeah," She forced a smile, already walking away. "It's alright, I'm happy to help. If you need anything else, the bizarre is that way. You should be able to find anything else you need over there."

After she'd pointed him in the right direction, she decided that she'd done enough digging for one day. She needed to get away from him, to clear her head for a bit. Ace seemed to take the hint, and already headed off in the direction she'd shown him.

She still had a lot to do. Now that she'd found him, she didn't want to risk completely losing track of him again. Robin pretended to leave before turning the corner, going around the block, and right back to the place where they'd parted ways. If she lost him in this crowd, she might never find him again. Which was a pity... As much as she hated to admit it, she genuinely enjoyed his company.

Ace didn't seem to notice that he was being tailed. Robin followed him for the remainder of his trip through the city. She'd watched him purchase several different water containers and a few replacement scarves that he found for less than what he'd paid at the shop she'd taken him to.

_'I at least need to figure out where he's staying...' _She thought, as she followed him away from the main streets. _'I wonder if he always sleeps in his boat or by the docks? Does he stay with someone?'_

She'd remained on his trail all day. So far, she'd been undetected. Eventually, he seemed to get tired of wandering the city. He paid for a meal from a restaurant, but he'd ordered it to go. He traversed back toward the poor side of town. Now was the time when he would either notice her presence or ignore it completely. Robin was getting nervous.

She followed him to an Inn, where he went inside. She waited for a couple hours, but he didn't emerge. Finally, she gathered up the nerve to go inside.

"Excuse me..." Robin mumbled to the Innkeeper.

"Yes?" A middle-aged woman with graying hair greeted her with a warm smile.

"I was wondering if you could tell me... Did a man with an orange cowboy hat come in?"

"I'm afraid we're not allowed to divulge our clients' personal information."

"But..." Robin did her best to look pitiful, slumping her shoulders in defeat. "We're friends. I lost him in the crowd. His name is Ace, and I just want to know if he has somewhere decent to sleep tonight. I only want to know if he's staying here, and then I promise I will leave in peace."

"Well, I can't tell you names or specific room numbers or anything," The woman lowered her voice, so people moving through the lobby wouldn't be able to hear her. "But the man you described is staying here, yes. That's all I can say."

"Thank you." She bowed respectfully, before leaving.

She also tossed the woman a few Beri for her trouble. She'd been prepared to bribe her, but she was glad it wasn't necessary. She still had her pay from Baroque Works, so she could save the gold coins he'd given her for later. They were definitely some unusual currency. She wanted to know more about them. From an Archaeological standpoint, they were fascinating.

Robin had briefly considered getting a room at the same Inn, and making it look like a coincidence... But it was probably a bad idea. There could only be so many coincidences before he would get suspicious. Flipping a coin, she decided to go back to her apartment. It was almost sundown and she was tired anyway. 

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><p><strong>AN: I'm sick right now, I have a terrible cold... But have another chapter! xD Ace in a thong... That so needs to happen! I was tempted to have him buy it, sooo tempted, but no. It was too OOC and also I would lose my poor little fangirl mind if he did that. Ace is so hot, omg... No pun even intended. xDD I hope you enjoyed the Ace x Robin moments... More coming soon!**

**-Kaline**


	6. Chapter 6

**Renegade Hearts**  
><strong>by Kaline Reine<strong>

**Disclaimer: I do not own One Piece or any of the characters/settings. This is just a fanfiction story. I claim nothing.**

**WARNINGS: This story contains (or may contain) graphic adult content and language, explicit sex scenes which may or may not be consensual, violence, cursing, dark and/or adult themes, etc. I do not censor my writing, but I do warn people about the subject matter and potential subject matter. Not all of my stories contain such things, but many of them will. So if you don't like that kind of thing or can't handle it, then I suggest not reading this story. You have been warned. **

**In other words, children please avert your eyes. Thank you. (I will leave this warning on every chapter, just to make sure people see it. I doubt this particular story is going to be all that bad, but I tend to get carried away sometimes, so you never know.)**

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><p><strong>Chapter 6:<strong>

Some dark, dismal music played, filling the streets with it's haunting melody. It was like it was everywhere, and the source was impossible to determine. The worst part was the eerie silence that followed. A woman could be heard yelling at her children, scolding them for some mischievous deed they'd done. An old man coughed, the result of his aging body and poor health readily apparent. That gave her an idea...

A young woman walked past them all, determinedly. The sky was overcast and a certain air of gloom seemed to hang over this part of Rainbase.

She hated hanging out on the poor side of town. It was depressing. Her heels clicked on the ground as she made her way toward her destination. Robin walked through a puddle of what she hoped was water. It looked like it had probably rained last night. She was on her way back to the Inn. It was still early, and she needed to check up on Ace. She'd been assigned to keep an eye on him and she was determined to do just that.

She was unsure of how she would manage to convince him of their chance meeting today. After all, there could only be so many coincidences before he would get suspicious... But she'd done a pretty good job of winging it so far. He didn't seem afraid of her yet. So far, so good.

She waited outside for a long time. She was close to giving up, but the moment she gave up would probably be the moment when he was about to come out. Sure enough, she spotted the familiar Pirate coming out of the Inn. She'd recognize that bright orange hat anywhere. He apparently wore it all the time, so much that she hadn't seen him without it. She took a shortcut that she knew, down a back alley, to get ahead of him.

_'I'll pretend to be going in the same direction as him,'_ She thought to herself. _'That should be enough to keep his suspicions at bay... For now.' _

"Robin?" His voice shook. He seemed alarmed at her presence, and he sounded a little unsure if it was really her or not.

"That's my name, don't wear it out." She smiled, turning around. "Oh... It's you again."

"Yeah," Ace panted. He'd run to catch up with her. "I just got up. What brings you to this side of town? I thought you lived over on the ritzy side."

"I was visiting a sick friend," Robin said, as if she'd made up her response on the spot. She hoped it didn't sound too rehearsed. "She's doing alright now. I was just on my way back..."

"Want to hang out?"

"What did you have in mind? I do have to work sometimes, you know."

The smartest thing she could do in this instance was to play it off as if she didn't want anything else to do with him. Saying no was usually the best way to get someone to do what she wanted. To say that Robin was the type who played hard to get was a massive understatement. She'd never been gotten yet.

He seemed to feel a little awkward. "I mean... I have to get some supplies today and meet with a contact of mine. But when I'm done, we could grab some lunch. That is, if you don't mind going through the boring stuff with me first?"

"So you're inviting me out?"

"Sure, why not?" Ace took her hand, pulling her along with him. "I've got to hurry though, if I'm going to get everything done before it's time to meet my friend. If you're gonna bail, better do it now."

"I... would love to go," She answered him honestly. "You certainly have a way of getting what you want."

This was amusing... He still hadn't let go of her hand. Robin took it back, hesitantly. She was pretty quick to break off connections with people as soon as possible. He was moving along at a brisk pace. She did her best to keep up with him in the heels she was wearing. She'd chosen a simpler outfit for today, but now regretted not wearing more comfortable shoes.

"Well, what can I say?" The Pirate shrugged. "I'm sort of a loner and I don't normally get such pleasant company very often."

"Alright... I'm game for anything you could throw my way."

She meant that in the most literal sense, but he didn't seem to pick up on it. Robin didn't really think he would attack her. But when dealing with Pirates, one could never be certain.

When they arrived outside another seedy little bar, she couldn't help but roll her eyes. Leave it to Ace to meet a contact at a place like this. It was even more run down than the place where they'd originally met. She didn't know this place even existed. It was falling apart, even the door was just barely hanging on it's hinges. It looked like it wouldn't be here at all if the right kind of sandstorm passed through, an occurrence that happened all too often in the deserts of Alabasta.

"Would you mind waiting outside, just for a few minutes?" Ace asked, though he was already headed inside.

"No problem."

"I'll be quick." With a little smile, and a nod in her direction, he was gone.

Robin was left to wonder what this meeting was all about. She was hoping he would allow her to go inside with him. It was going to be really hard to gather intel from outside the building. Although it wasn't like she really wanted to enter that badly... A place like this was a terrible idea for someone like her. And she didn't want to risk running into men like the ones she'd encountered at the last bar they'd been to.

She waited for several minutes, until he'd gone inside and had plenty of time to get distracted. Then, against her better judgment, she proceeded to look in through the multicolored stained glass window. It was cracked and many of the panes were missing, so it made her task that much easier. She felt slightly remorseful about spying on him, but it had to be done.

All she saw was Ace, with his back turned, sitting down at the bar. He was talking with a random guy. She didn't recognize him. She also couldn't make out what they were saying...

Swiftly and silently, she summoned several external 'fleurs' with her powers. She used her ears this time, producing multiple copies of them to hear what was being said. Eavesdropping was one of her specialties, and made her a great asset to Baroque Works as a spy. This was one of the things she knew Crocodile valued her for. She couldn't help but think maybe he had ulterior motives, but she could deal with that later.

"So no word yet, then?" Ace was asking the man, who was wearing a cloak to conceal his identity.

Robin could only catch an occasional glimpse of his face now and then, when he turned to speak. He had short brown hair and plain black eyes. She also didn't see any distinguishing marks on his face. She'd never noticed him before. He didn't seem like the type who would stand out in a crowd or anything.

"Nope. I got nothin'. Sorry for wasting your time..."

"Hey man, don't sweat it. It's not your fault if you weren't able to dig up anything."

"Maybe... I just wish we could catch the rat bastard, is all!" The man took a long swig from a mug of what was probably beer. He then slammed it angrily on the counter.

"Oh I wouldn't worry too much about it. I'm _going to_ catch him," Ace also took a drink, not caring that it was early. He was probably drinking with him in order to establish trust. "There's no reason to doubt that. It will just take a little longer, but that's okay."

She'd heard of that technique before; partaking in substances with a target in order to gain their trust, then extract information. It was basic. It made her wonder what it was he wanted to know and who he was after. Robin knew she shouldn't get carried away... She couldn't afford to get too wrapped up in someone else's problems. She had her own to worry about. But she couldn't stop herself from wishing that she knew who they were talking about. It made her wish she'd listened in a little earlier.

_'Could it be Crocodile that they're after?' _She was left to wonder. _'Is that why he told me to watch him? Maybe he's after my boss... If so, that's going to be-' _

She cut herself off. Someone was walking by. Another man brushed by her and entered the bar. It broke her concentration, but nothing happened, he just went and sat down somewhere. Breathing a sigh of relief, Robin summoned her ears again. She could tell their meeting was almost over.

"I've got to be going," Ace told his contact. "Thanks for the drink."

"No problem, any time man..."

With that, he began to get up. Robin quickly released her summoned parts, and turned back to face the street. She casually moved away from the window, just before the door creaked open and Ace appeared.

"That was fast," Robin remarked, trying to be as nonchalant as possible about it. "Is everything okay?"

"Yep, just fine." He'd replied casually, but he seemed to be somewhat annoyed.

Ace walked right past her, the electricity in the air surrounding him almost crackling. Or maybe it was just her imagination...

"So... Where to now?"

"I dunno..." He seemed lost. "That kind of went nowhere. I don't have any leads on what I'm supposed to be doing. For now I'll just have to wait."

"That seems for the best. Mind if I ask what you're trying to do?"

Ace gave her a glare that spoke volumes about the serious nature of his business. "I'm sorry, but I can't talk about it."

"I see..." She responded coldly.

Robin crossed her arms as they walked. She was ready to defend herself, should the situation call for it. She was still following him, or at least going in the same general direction that he was headed... It alarmed her how quickly he'd become secretive and distant again. He seemed to have a lot on his mind. Something was wrong. Had he caught her spying on him? Did he know more than he let on? What had changed? She had so many questions, and so few answers.

"It's best not to worry about it," The Pirate was suddenly all smiles, which should have calmed her down, but only served to make her even more wary. "We should enjoy what's left of the day."

"You're right." She returned his smile, however hers was terribly forced. He could probably see right through it.

"I'll have to stop and get some food to take with me. I don't know how much longer I'll be in town. It seems I may have to leave soon after all... But there's no reason we can't have fun."

He stopped at one of the fruit stands they passed by, and picked up a few things. Ace tossed several coins to the old man who ran it, and went on his way. He did the same thing at several other food stands. He placed everything in his bag and kept walking. It looked like he was stocking up on supplies. Robin didn't say much, she just followed him around and tried her best to stay out of his way. There seemed to be few customers running about the Bizarre this time of day.

"I'm glad we came early..." He muttered, rummaging through the striped bag that was slung over his shoulder. "Looks like we beat the crowd. I think I'm all done. What should we do now?"

"What did you have in mind?"

"Hmm... Maybe we could get some ice cream together?"

Robin's deep blue eyes widened. "Ice cream? Are you _serious?_"

"Well why the hell not?" Ace grinned. His smile was to die for. "Drinking isn't the only thing I do, ya know."

"You do realize how early it is, right?"

"It's never too early or too late to party. You should learn to live a little. Obligations can always wait 'til later."

"Alright," She laughed. "Let's go."

_'Is this like... a date?' _She silently mused. _'Of course it isn't! This is a mission! I've been ordered to watch him and gather information, nothing more.' _She could have slapped herself for thinking like that.

"Great!" His face seemed to light up.

_'She said yes!' _Was all he could think at the moment. All the rest of his troubles were temporarily forgotten.

Ace took her hand for the second time that day. There was something so powerfully fascinating about such a simple act. He liked the feeling of her hand in his, and wondered how she felt about it... He tried to act like it was no big deal. If he didn't make a big deal over it, she wouldn't either. That was what he told himself, anyway.

"Do you even know where we're going?" Robin asked, as she was whisked away.

"Yeah, I know I saw a place last time I was walking back to the Inn..."

He kept looking around while they walked together. He was going at a brisk pace, and it was hard for her to keep up with his stride. She stumbled a lot, but was careful not to fall onto him. She also noticed he had a tight grip on her hand. She hoped he wasn't planning to do something awful to her, like kidnap her or something. If he was, then he'd learn pretty quickly that was a bad idea, when she snapped his neck.

_'What is wrong with you?' _She asked herself. _'A guy grabs your hand and takes you out for ice cream, and all you can think about is snapping his neck...'_

Before she could think about how crazy that sounded, he'd already pulled her inside a building. It was nice, with air conditioning and smooth marble counters. It would be obvious, even to a person that was not from Rainbase, that they were back on the nicer side of town.

Ace finally let go of her hand, though he seemed not to want to. Robin was already busy looking at the huge variety of ice cream flavors they had on display under a refrigerated glass case. It usually took her a while to make up her mind.

"Hello," A friendly saleswoman at the counter greeted them. "Welcome. Have you decided on a flavor or would you like to try some samples?" She held up two small bite-sized spoons, just in case.

"I know what I want," Ace was quick to say, eyeing Robin and then thinking better of it. "I'll have a double scoop of rum raisin."

"Awfully quick to decide, aren't you?" Robin chuckled, as the woman prepared his ice cream the way he'd asked.

"Well I like the taste of rum, so don't judge!" He laughed.

It caused her to join him in his laughter, which in turn caused the lady at the counter to laugh with them too. His laughter was infectious, and refreshing. Robin hadn't allowed herself to have this much fun in a while. She felt it was a shame that it would have to end soon...

"And have you decided, miss?" The young lady asked, once she'd given Ace his cone.

"I think I'll have the same, but with mint chocolate chip."

"Alrighty, coming up!" Moments later, she took the shimmery green ice cream from her. "I have to say, you two make a really cute couple."

"Oh, we're not..." Robin hesitated. "It's not like that, ahaha..." She waved a dismissive hand.

Ace didn't say a word until after she did. "Nope, we're just friends."

"Oh I'm so sorry... Well... That'll be eleven Beri, total." Seeming a bit embarrassed, she pressed some buttons on the cash register, which showed the same amount. The numbers sprang up with a chinging sound.

"You got it," Ace handed her some money, struggling to fish it out of his pocket while still holding his ice cream. "Keep the change."

"Thank you very much, have a wonderful day!"

As they walked away she leaned onto the counter, lost in thought, seeming to daydream about something... She'd regained her cheerful smile right before they left.

Robin felt a little awkward about how she'd handled the woman's awkward statement. She tried not to think about it, but the more she fought it, the worse the thoughts began to seep in. And the darker her cheeks reddened...

"So what do you wanna do now?" Ace asked her, nonchalantly.

"I don't know, it's up to you."

The two just walked around the streets, until they came to a small unoccupied bench that sat beside a palm tree. It was in a secluded area and there didn't seem to be many people around. Robin knew there was a small oasis near there, but she doubted anyone else knew of it. Especially not Ace.

"We could take a break and sit down, if you'd like?" He offered, gesturing to the metal bench.

"Okay..."

They both sat down. She watched him eat his ice cream, letting the smile spread over her face to calm down the blush that had been there. Ace was happily eating his ice cream, letting the flavor of the rum drift over his senses. Every time his tongue came out to lap up more of the creamy frozen desert, Robin wanted to giggle. She had to repress the urge to fawn over him. She was also focused on eating her own ice cream. She'd always liked the taste of mint. It was good.

_'He's like a little kid sometimes...' _She mused. _'He seems so happy. He's cute when he's happy.'_ And then... _'Did I _really_ just think that?!' _

Before he noticed her staring, his head began to nod a little. His eyes slowly drifted closed... It happened right after he sat down. The half-finished cone was starting to slip from his hand, and some of the ice cream dripped down his wrist. He was completely silent, his expression blank.

"Ace? Are you okay?" She leaned closer to him, concerned for his well-being. All she could think of to do was run a hand in front of his face. "Aaaaace? Hello? Hellooooo?"

He made a sound. He was... _snoring?! _

"Oh my gosh, he fell asleep!" Robin stated this in shock, not realizing at first that she'd said it out loud. But then she was glad she had, hoping it might wake him up.

_'Should I wake him... or not?' _

She sat there, perplexed. For the first time in a long time, the Devil Woman was completely unsure of what to do. She'd never been in this situation before. Was she so boring that he'd just decided sleep was better than putting up with her? Was he faking to get her to leave because he wanted to be alone, but didn't want to be mean? Or had he fallen asleep because he was overworked and just that tired? What was going on? She was totally confused. Either way, it had raised her concerns.

* * *

><p><strong>AN: Sorry this chapter took me so long. For one thing, my family was in a really bad car accident and I also have a court case that came up, so I haven't had much free time to write or do anything I actually want to do. But I've been so worried about them and a ton of things have been going on all at once. Also I'm sick with the flu and my other laptop died. Ugh... Anyway, that's why this has been taking me much longer to update than normal, and I apologize for the wait. **

**I didn't feel up to writing for a while, but we all know I can't really stay away for long. Besides, it helps to get my mind off things. Yay for cheesy fluff! I figured they needed some lighthearted fun like this, before things get too serious. Besides, who doesn't love ice cream? xD**

**(And yes, they have ice cream in Alabasta, I've seen people with ice cream cones in the background several times. Hehe...)**

**Also, I'm trying to stick to more of a schedule, so starting in January, updates will be posted every Saturday. (I'll try, anyway.) **

**-Kaline**


	7. Chapter 7

**Renegade Hearts**  
><strong>by Kaline Reine<strong>

**Disclaimer: I do not own One Piece or any of the characters/settings. This is just a fanfiction story. I claim nothing.**

**WARNINGS: This story contains (or may contain) graphic adult content and language, explicit sex scenes which may or may not be consensual, violence, cursing, dark and/or adult themes, etc. I do not censor my writing, but I do warn people about the subject matter and potential subject matter. Not all of my stories contain such things, but many of them will. So if you don't like that kind of thing or can't handle it, then I suggest not reading this story. You have been warned. **

**In other words, children please avert your eyes. Thank you. (I will leave this warning on every chapter, just to make sure people see it. I doubt this particular story is going to be all that bad, but I tend to get carried away sometimes, so you never know.)**

* * *

><p><strong>Chapter 7: <strong>

Resolving to try to wait it out, Robin leaned back on the bench, determined to finish the rest of her ice cream. That was pretty much all she could do at the moment. Ace was still asleep. And after all, why let it go to waste? She'd made it almost all the way down to the cone when someone caught her attention.

"Oi! Miss All Sunday!" An obnoxious voice called out her code name.

She winced, wishing they wouldn't openly use her title like that. She also wished they hadn't recognized her in the first place. Given their inconsideration, she chose to ignore them and continued to enjoy her ice cream. Whatever they wanted, it would wait until later. She didn't particularly care, at the moment.

Before she could wake Ace up or leave, several men had walked over to her. She now recognized them as Baroque Works Billions. Not people that she knew very well, but they did work with her. Well, to be more specific, they worked under Crocodile.

"What's with the cold shoulder?" One of them, a big burly man, asked her.

"Sshhh!" Robin held a finger to her lips to hopefully silence them. "I'm on a mission right now. He doesn't know my code name, so shut up!"

"Hey, you can't talk to us that way..." A slender blonde man to the larger one's left piped up.

"Settle down missy!"

"Yeah... You don't have any direct authority over us."

"Besides," The first man spoke to her again. "We've got some new recruits with us. I understand they're friends of yours?"

The others all started in after that. Several of them laughed at her. That was when she noticed that most of them were part of the Baroque Works Billions... But the men from that seedy bar were also there. The ones who had harassed her the night she'd first met Ace... And they were quick to join in on what the others were doing.

_'New recruits, my ass...' _She scoffed.

"The boss isn't around anyway. And you're just a pawn, like us. Puny and unimportant."

"Hey look guys, she can't even entertain her guest!"

"He's snoring! What a loser!"

"Kinda sad, little lady..."

"You're worthless! Hahaha! What a joke!"

She rolled her eyes as hard as she could. This was just like most Billions. They were always trying to prove how important they were to the company. Most were inconsiderate of others, thinking far too highly of themselves. They followed orders from their superiors, just barely... They constantly looked for ways to weasel ahead of the others and looked for every opportunity to prove their worth, even if it meant belittling someone else. And the higher in stature the person, the better. They only wanted to prove their dominance.

Basically, they all seemed to think they could walk all over her because she was a woman. They didn't care that she was higher in rank. Robin had been quick to put several of them in their place in the past, but she'd gotten in trouble with Crocodile for disrespecting her coworkers. So she'd had to promise she wouldn't act aggressively toward them again.

"I know," The largest one spoke again. "Let's teach her a lesson."

"Oh, yeah! One she won't soon forget..."

Hands started grabbing for her. Robin struggled, but they already had her by the time she realized what was going on. She tried to cross her arms over her chest, but they wouldn't let her. One of them already started grabbing at her breasts. They were actually molesting her, right out in the open like this! They were a disgusting bunch.

"Let me go!" She screamed. "Stop it! I haven't done anything to you, so just leave me alone!"

The remainder of her ice cream cone had fallen to the ground, forgotten.

She could only look back toward Ace, watching as he slept peacefully while she was being defiled. She had to crane her neck just to see him. He seemed to stir a little when she cried out, but didn't wake. He must be a really heavy sleeper...

"Don't worry about him, he's out cold. He'll never even know you were gone." One of them said.

"You should come back with us," Another added, also touching her while the others held her still. "We could have some real fun together, back at headquarters while the boss is away..."

"Look at her squirm! Hehe..."

"I'll never go _anywhere_ with _you!_" She yelled. "Get your hands off of me!"

"Shut up!" They snarled at her. "No one asked you!"

"Just wait until Crocodile finds out about this, you fucking-"

A hand cruelly slapped her across the face. It hit hard enough to leave a red mark. It was pretty loud.

"I said _be quiet,_ bitch."

They'd turned Robin around so she couldn't see what Ace was doing anymore, or whether he was awake. She doubted he would wake up any time soon. Part of her didn't really want him to wake up anyway, because it would mean he'd see her like this, and that was something she didn't know if she could bear. It would be so awkward. And she didn't want him to think she was weak, but she also didn't want to let these idiots get away with this. In addition, she couldn't stand it if her cover was blown because of these guys. That's probably what they wanted, to cause her to fail her mission. It was already difficult enough, without these guys adding to it!

One of them had slipped his hand under her blouse. Several more were helping him. It was getting personal now. She continued to squirm and scream throughout the entire ordeal. Another man balled up his fist to hit her, like the other had done. He was stopped by a hand firmly gripping his wrist.

"Hey, what the-"

Before he could say a word, he was being caught across the throat by a well-aimed punch. A sickening crack was heard, causing everyone to turn and stare.

"Let. her. _go._" The words fell from stoic lips. Onyx eyes narrowed, showing their deadly serious intent.

Robin watched in quiet horror as Ace's skin flared to life. A torrent of fire engulfed the man who was holding her against his body, with his arm around her throat. She'd never seen any flames with as much tenacity, as much _fire,_ as those... All went silent, in awe of his power. Yet, they were precise, even in all of their strength. Her skin wasn't even singed in the process.

"Why should we listen to you?" The chubby one asked. "What are you gonna do? Are you even part of our organization?"

"I have no idea what you're talking about," Ace growled. "And _I don't care!_ You're as good as dead!"

"You should stay out of matters that don't concern you." One man said, taking a pair of brass knuckles out of his pocket.

"Oh, you want some? Bring it!" Ace chuckled darkly, with a smile. "This concerns me plenty."

"How so?" Another one of the men demanded to know.

"The lady clearly does not consent to what you've doing... And she's with me."

He'd stated it completely nonchalantly, as if it were the most obvious thing in the world. Robin was barely able to duck under a flaming punch that was meant for the man standing directly behind her. She dodged a little to the right, and Ace's fist made contact with the bridge of the man's nose. He went down with one hit, knocked out cold. No one even tried to catch him as he fell to the ground. They were too busy getting ready to fight off their new enemy.

Robin was free now. Sidestepping her attackers, she stumbled forward. Ace caught her, steadying her before turning back to deal with the rest of them. She stood behind him, in too much shock to do much of anything. She did manage to hold a few of them in place for him though. Some of the men were trying to run away, by this point. Others were still making lame attempts to fight him.

None of their hits were the least bit successful; Ace dodged each one with ease. By the time it was all over, there were a pile of men lying on the ground, some just barely breathing.

_'I guess that's why they call him Fire Fist Ace...' _

"I..." Robin didn't even know what to say. She fumbled for words, for a moment. "Thank you, Ace."

He adjusted his hat. "It was nothing... These idiots just picked a fight with the wrong guy, that's all. They shouldn't have been harassing you anyway. Let's get out of here."

She nodded, and they walked away. There was no point in letting them get up again. The Billions seemed to know that too, and they stayed on the ground... Where it was safe. No one dared try to follow them.

"You didn't have to, I mean... I can take care of myself."

"I know. And I hope you'll pardon me for earlier," He chuckled. "I have a condition."

"What?" She replied, absentmindedly.

"It's called narcolepsy... I also have insomnia. Basically, I have trouble falling asleep and stay up for long periods of time, and sometimes I randomly fall asleep. Usually at the dumbest times... Like earlier."

"Oh, I see. I've heard of it before," Robin nodded, finally understanding. "I was wondering why you fell asleep. I thought maybe you'd overworked yourself... Or maybe I'm just that boring."

"Boring? Not at all. Actually- well..." He laughed it off. "You're amazing, Robin."

"Thanks," She responded with a small smile. "You're not so bad, yourself. And thank you for the wonderful time today. We should probably head back. I should really get back to work soon."

They were almost back to the main street of the city anyway. They'd gotten so wrapped up in their conversation that they hadn't noticed. Robin was constantly looking over her shoulder, to make sure they weren't being followed.

"I understand. Guess I'll see you around. By the way, what's Baroque Works?"

_'So he _did_ hear that! Oh crap!' _

"Don't worry about it. Just... don't tell anyone about meeting me or talking to me, okay? It wouldn't be good for either of us."

"Okay," He nodded solemnly. "I won't. I give you my word that I won't say anything to anyone about it. But can I say something?"

"Sure, go ahead."

Ace placed his hand on her shoulder. It was like fire on her skin, although she wasn't being burned. "I can tell you're involved in some pretty bad stuff. I'm sure you have your reasons for sticking around, but... If you ever need a way out, just come find me. I'm waiting for someone and I should be in town for at least a few more weeks. I'll be happy to take you with me."

"Oh..." She wanted to tell him off, but hesitated. Something stopped her... Maybe it was the subtle truth within his words that caught her off guard. "I'll keep that in mind."

"Good."

That was all he said, before leaving.

* * *

><p>Robin entered the room angrily, letting the door slam behind her. She'd stopped by her apartment only briefly, to change clothes, before coming in. Crocodile leered at her, watching the way she moved with such grace. Normally he would have been furious... For her, and only her, he would always let things slide.<p>

"Well, well, well..." He growled. "Looks who's back. And with good news, I hope?"

"I did find out some useful intel from the target," She closed her eyes, letting out a breath, in annoyance. "I also had an... _encounter_ with some Billions who claimed they work for you."

"I did send some of them to keep an eye on you and make sure you were okay. I don't trust that Pirate guy."

"Well that _isn't_ what they did."

"Oh?" With a crooked smile, he ashed his cigar before returning it to his lips. "Tell me, what did they do?"

Her head fell in shame. She really didn't want to tell him what they did... It was humiliating enough, as it was.

"They... touched me."

"Is that all?" He laughed.

"No," She didn't like his nonchalant attitude about this. It was pissing her off. Robin scowled at him. "They molested me in public, and right in front of the target too!"

"From what I understand, you seemed to be having quite a bit of fun with him. Going out for ice cream together, isn't that just cute?"

_'Oh, fuck you...' _Blue eyes narrowed. He was lucky he was her boss, or he'd have been choked out long ago.

"Well it isn't my fault, but he knows about Baroque Works now. They blew my cover. He heard what they said, and even asked me about it later. I told him it was none of his business, but they were the ones who told him. They even used my damn code name right in front of him!"

"I'll deal with them," He took another long drag off of his cigar. "So what kind of useful intel did you find out?"

She scoffed, not believing the way he was reacting to everything. "I can't believe this... But yeah, I did find out some useful stuff. For one thing, he's only in town because he's looking for someone. I don't know who it is, but... He seems to hate them a lot."

"Any idea of who it might be? Hunches, maybe?"

"No, I actually have no idea. But I'm working on that. I also found out that he's a Whitebeard Pirate and his full name is Portgas D. Ace."

"Really? That's quite interesting... You pretty much told me before." He chuckled. "Anything else?"

"That's all I've been able to dig up so far. I went with him to meet a contact of his at a bar. I didn't recognize the guy. I wasn't able to listen in early enough to tell who they were talking about."

"At least you've made some progress," Crocodile leaned back in his chair with a satisfied smile. "Very good work."

She made the mistake of standing a little too close to him. It was a big office, so she should have known better. Knowing she was within arm's reach was very unnerving for her. She'd never really trusted her boss. Then again, she never trusted anyone.

"I just think something should be done about them. What they did wasn't right."

"The Billions? Don't fret over it. Your friend put them in their place, did he not? They've already contacted me about it. It's hardly worth worrying over now. It's all said and done."

"Fine, but if I ever see them again, don't blame me if I snap their worthless damn necks..." She replied, through gritted teeth.

"I love it when you get so worked up... You're beautiful when you're angry."

So that was it. He was doing this to make her angry on purpose!

He actually had the audacity to grab her butt, wrapping his greedy fingers around it, digging into the skin. He felt her through the fabric of her skirt. Robin tried to move away, but he was holding her there. Ace wasn't here to save her now. She only had herself to rely on... She could have easily done something horrible to him, but... He was her boss.

"Stop it." She stated in an authoritative tone. "I should have known you wouldn't do anything about it. You're just as bad as them."

To her surprise, he actually did stop what he was doing. She took a staggering step back.

"That was really out of bounds for them," He took another long drag off of his cigar, slicking his hair back with one hand. "They weren't supposed to touch you or do any of that. Revealing information about the organization isn't good either."

"Exactly! It isn't good for one of our targets to know about the organization, right? And it was very inappropriate for them to do what they did." The sheer amount of hatred in her voice was palpable.

"Trust me, they will pay dearly for what they've done... No one defiles my highest ranking officer and gets away with it!" Crocodile suddenly snapped.

He pushed a button on the intercom system.

"Yes sir?" A female voice responded the moment it was pressed.

"Have someone round up the group of Billions that were sent to the Oasis today, along with the new recruits that were with them. Have them all come into my office immediately."

"Are you sure you want to do that?" Robin asked, knowing that he didn't usually reveal himself to the Billions directly. He always had someone else give the orders, choosing to remain as the faceless leader from behind the scenes.

"It'll be fine," He told her, calm and collected as always. "Just wait."

"I'll send someone to fetch them, sir." The lady on the other side of the intercom replied.

"Thank you."

While they waited, he continued to leer at her. Crocodile knew she'd had a rough time lately and didn't want to make it any worse. He hadn't wanted to take any rash actions, but he did need to keep her around for his plans later. And he just couldn't seem to resist her beauty... He knew she was unattainable, but that only served to add to her attractiveness.

They waited for all of them to file into the room. Each one caused Robin's look of pure disgust to worsen. She really didn't want to deal with this. She'd just wanted him to assure her that he'd talk to them. She wanted them to get in trouble for what they'd done, to be scolded for it... Now she had a feeling something really bad was about to happen... But whether it would be to them or her, she wasn't sure.

"You called?" The apparent leader of their little group stepped forward to speak to him.

"Wait, it's Crocodile?" Someone apparently recognized him.

"You're the leader of... of Baroque Works?"

"Yes," Crocodile leaned back in his chair, lighting yet another cigar. "Are you surprised? I sent you on a mission earlier today. As I understand it, you defiled your superior here." He gestured toward Robin with a nod of his head.

"Well, I... You see, about that..."

"There's no need to explain." He pressed a button, and the doors leading in and out of the room closed with a loud clang. "You owe her an apology."

He turned to her, and muttered... "We're sorry..." Although it was glaringly obvious that they weren't the least bit truly apologetic for their actions.

"Why are we being punished?" Another of the group spoke up. "We didn't all take part in that."

"Robin, is that true?"

She shook her head. "No. It was all of them."

"I see... Well, the ones who stood by while it happened are just as much to blame anyway, I suppose."

Robin didn't know what was going on, but her boss seemed to have just had a change of heart. Maybe he was just jealous because they did things he'd only ever dreamt of doing... It was hard to tell. Crocodile was an unpredictable man. You never really knew what he might do next.

"When I said to do whatever was necessary to carry out your assignment," Crocodile continued. "That wasn't what I meant. And I'm sure you know that. You've failed miserably."

"Y-yeah, sorry boss!" Another of them said. "It won't happen again, I promise!"

"Oh, _I know_ it won't..."

"What's that supposed to mean?"

"Gentleman, if you would, please accompany me up to the platform... There's something I'd like to show you."

"Crocodile..." Robin interfered. She knew just what he was up to. "Please don't do this. Not because of me. They made a mistake, and I am mad at them, but... That's too far. Please, don't!"

"It'll be alright, doll. Nothing to worry about."

He ashed his cigar again, before getting up and walking to a set of stairs that led up to a high platform. The Billions followed him, but they seemed nervous. It's not like they really had much choice. After all, all of the exits were sealed. There was no way out. And with his devil fruit powers, there wouldn't be very much any of them could do to defeat him. He was unstoppable and he knew it.

Beneath them, they could all see many of his prized pets, the Bananawani, swimming around in a giant tank. This was where he normally came up to feed them... But he liked to keep them at least a little hungry, most of the time. The telltale bananas on their heads lent an almost comical appearance to the ferocious beasts. Their jaws snapped, each of their teeth dazzling a yellowed white as they crowded around below the platform.

"I want to show you all something. Stand over there, so you can get a closer look."

He pointed to the far edge of the platform. Once he'd indicated where they were supposed to go, all of the men moved nervously to where he'd pointed. All Baroque Works agents, no matter what their tank, were sworn to obey their leader, no matter what.

"What are you showing us?" A different man asked.

With a sickening smirk, Crocodile pulled a lever. The floor fell away from where they were standing. "Your deaths." He'd spoken the words so callously, with such little emotion...

Everyone cried out, as they fell from the platform. They screamed in agony. Robin watched the terror flash through their eyes, right before the Bananawani tore them apart. They were eaten, some of them still half-alive as it happened. She watched her attackers die a slow, painful death, at the hands of her boss.

Though the man had always protected her, this was just one of many reasons why he was a person to be feared. He didn't play games. She felt kind of bad about what had happened to them. Yes, they fucked up and probably deserved what Ace had done to them when he'd beaten the shit out of them. But they didn't deserve to die... The water stained dark red, their blood seeping into it like some kind of morbid tea, and yet, she still couldn't bring herself to cry for them.

She knew the world was often cruel...

"You can go now," He told her. "Continue to keep an eye on him. I won't be sending anymore Billions to spy on you. I see now that was an error. Just don't forget to be here for the meeting with the Officer Agents. You can report in just before that."

"Of course. See you then."

She left without another word. She couldn't wait to get away from him. The man was being so shady lately. She had an intense dislike for being treated like an object, but she couldn't help but think that he had gone too far.

* * *

><p>The events over the last few days had been so intense. After being dismissed from Crocodile's office, she'd gone straight home... Right now, she needed some time to think. So she took it. She decided to take a little time to recover from everything that had happened.<p>

Robin took a shower, wrapped herself in a bath robe, and sat down with a nice cup of tea. She decided that reading a book might help take her mind off of the situation she was currently facing. Browsing through the vast bookshelves that lined her apartment, she failed to find anything that really piqued her interest. Her mind was so dead set on other things.

Eventually she settled on a book about ancient civilizations. She found that she wasn't in the mood to continue her romance novel tonight. An educational distraction would be best. She always loved getting lost in her interests... She sat down and tried to get comfortable, but something still nagged at her. Things she didn't want to face at the present moment.

She was thankful that the tea she'd prepared was chamomile, or else she might never have fallen asleep... Rest didn't come easy, but it did come.

_...Eventually. _

The following morning, she woke up to the sound of her alarm clock. She wasn't sure why she'd even set it. She giggled a bit when she realized she'd fallen asleep in her bath robe.

Robin sighed, forcing herself to get up and get dressed. She hoped today would be fairly uneventful. She knew she wouldn't hear from her boss for probably several more days... She was supposed to be spying on Ace right now, but couldn't bring herself to find the motivation to do it. She kind of wanted to be alone... She'd had more than enough drama over the past few weeks.

She distracted herself throughout the day, with various chores and relaxing activities. She'd needed to straighten up her apartment for a while now. Working for Baroque Works really did keep her busy. But she could only straighten her books on the shelves so many times before she had to sit down and take a break. She'd tried to keep herself very busy for as long as she could. She collapsed into the small armchair that sat in the corner of the room, her chest heaving with exhaustion.

_'I really should eat something, that's probably why I feel so bad...'_

Every time she closed her eyes, all she could see were their terrified faces, as the floor had fallen out from beneath them... The murky blood tainting the water... Such terrifyingly disturbing imagery.

_'I definitely don't want to eat anything.' _

It was unavoidable. Sooner or later, Robin knew she would have to face facts. But she also needed some time to clear her head.

All she could think about was Ace's offer. It had been on her mind all day long, lurking in the back of her consciousness. It took a while for his words to fully sink in. It had stunned her that he'd offered to take her with him. She knew she'd done the right thing when she turned him down though. There was no way she could leave, not now. She was somewhat grateful for Crocodile's protection for all these years, for one thing. And as much as she wanted to, she felt she would not do well as a Pirate. She'd almost been down that road several times before.

No... It was _impossible._

As much as she wanted to, she was unable to get much rest. She had to settle for only the few hours she'd gotten last night. She didn't think she would be able to sleep tonight if she stayed here. It was too much, to be alone with only her thoughts...

* * *

><p><strong>AN: I made this chapter longer, yay! Just a reminder for those who didn't see it last chapter, I'm trying to update this every Saturday from now on. I think I'll like being on a set schedule more, so we'll see how that goes. Thanks so much for sticking with me this far! Feedback means a lot to me, so review if you feel up to it. c: **

**-Kaline**


	8. Chapter 8

**Renegade Hearts**  
><strong>by Kaline Reine<strong>

**Disclaimer: I do not own One Piece or any of the characters/settings. This is just a fanfiction story. I claim nothing.**

**WARNINGS: This story contains (or may contain) graphic adult content and language, explicit sex scenes which may or may not be consensual, violence, cursing, dark and/or adult themes, etc. I do not censor my writing, but I do warn people about the subject matter and potential subject matter. Not all of my stories contain such things, but many of them will. So if you don't like that kind of thing or can't handle it, then I suggest not reading this story. You have been warned. **

**In other words, children please avert your eyes. Thank you. (I will leave this warning on every chapter, just to make sure people see it. I doubt this particular story is going to be all that bad, but I tend to get carried away sometimes, so you never know.)**

* * *

><p><strong>Chapter 8: <strong>

She decided that she needed a drink, anyway. It was still early in the evening, and still light out, but just barely. Robin had gotten dressed and gone out. Since it was a cool evening, she'd chosen to wear a long dark trench coat over everything. She didn't particularly want to be spotted by anyone, especially not anyone associated with Baroque Works. She needed to lay low for a while.

It was almost time for the rest of the Officer Agents to have their meeting. They would finally get to find out who was behind everything, and there was no doubt they would all be shocked when they found out. She hoped Bon Kurei would remember their deal... She had to count on him to hold up his end of things later on. She was already dreading having to deal with the fearsome Strawhat Pirates he'd warned her about. She wasn't looking forward to that at all. She wanted to get her mind off of all of it.

Tonight, Robin chose to go to an upscale bar on the nice side of town... It wasn't too far from her apartment. Hopefully, she wouldn't run into... _him._ She didn't think she could take it right now. If luck was on her side, then she was right in thinking that Ace had a penchant for drinking in seedy little out-of-the-way bars. He shouldn't be able to figure out where she would be anyway, unless he was following her.

He'd never show up in a place like this... With it's expensive marble countertops, immaculately clean tables, and classy uniforms, there was no way she could expect him to find her. Besides, it's not like he'd really be looking anyway. Robin knew she was probably just being overly cautious. She was almost positive she was the last person he wanted to see, but it couldn't hurt to be careful.

The devil woman entered quietly, trying not to draw any unnecessary attention to herself. She passed by strangers with unknown faces, to sit at the edge of the bar. She knew she would be keeping to herself as much as possible tonight.

"Good evening miss," The smiling bartender greeted her, already knowing she was an unfamiliar face. "What can I get for you?"

"I'll start with an apple martini," She handed him a wad of cash. "Keep the change. I don't care anymore."

"Understood." He turned around for a moment, while another bartender was already working on her drink before it had left her mouth. "Here you are."

"Thank you."

"No, thank _you!_" He grinned, as he counted the money she'd given him.

She'd downed her drink right away, and politely ordered another of the same. It wasn't like her to drink this much or this often... Not normally. But she had a lot on her mind.

"I'll just..." The bartender kind of giggled, nervously. "Ahaha... Start a tab for you."

"Alright."

Everyone here was so polite... It almost made her forget how snotty the barkeep at that other place was. And yet, somehow... She couldn't honestly say that she regretted going. Even the seedy little bars on the bad side of town had their own kind of charm.

...The kind of charm only a certain man wearing a bright orange hat, paired with a set of freckles and a wicked smile could-

_'No!'_ She mentally shouted at herself, her hands clutching desperately at her hair. _'No, don't think about it! Do. not. think about him! He's gone now, right? Gone... And he won't be back. I'll probably never find him again...' _

For some reason, that was a miserable thought. It should have been a relief. Robin sank down onto the bar stool, settling in for a confusing night. She kept looking over her shoulder. Subconsciously, she was trying to make sure he didn't walk through the door right behind her. Her odd behavior continued, until someone said something.

"Are you waiting for someone to join you, miss?" The gentleman behind the counter asked her.

"No... Just making sure the wrong person doesn't come in."

"Funny, you look almost eager to see them."

"Yeah," She smiled haphazardly, obviously already under the influence. "Something like that."

"Sorry for prying," He bowed to her, before moving on to the next patron. "My apologies, miss."

"No worries..."

Robin resolved to keep quiet about her problems tonight. She just wanted to keep everything to herself and not make any unnecessary waves. She swirled the alcohol around in her glass, pretending to marvel at it's shine.

The Billions who had assaulted her had been dealt with, but not in a way that she could agree with. What Crocodile had done to them was a horrible thing. That was how she felt about it... But she could only bring herself to feel so bad for them. They were jerks, anyway. And now it was too late. The problem was, she couldn't figure out if he'd done what he did out of a sense of duty and retribution, to help right the wrong they had committed, or if it was out of petty jealousy. It was most likely both. Either way, murdering someone just for being inappropriate was hardly fitting. Forcing her to watch was a sadistic move, as well. That's just the kind of man her boss was.

_'Just what was he thinking...?' _There was no way she could stop her own thoughts from coming. Not when she was this inebriated. _'That makes no sense at all...' _

It struck her as odd that he would reveal his identity to random Baroque Works employees in the first place. He'd kept it a close secret for so long. It was no wonder they'd been shocked to learn that it had been Crocodile who was behind everything, all along. At least it didn't end up mattering... Not in the long run. He probably knew he was going to kill them off the moment he'd brought them into his office. No harm done to their operation, at least... Unless any of them were spies, which she severely doubted. They were too stupid to be trusted with a task like that.

_'I'm... I'm actually angry with him for what he did!'_ She realized, several sips of her drink later. It felt sort of odd having a conversation with herself. It wasn't like she could really trust anyone else with this kind of information though.

The bartender re-appeared, as soon as her fist hit the counter. "Would you like another one?" He sounded surprised. Not that his opinion of her behavior mattered to her in the slightest...

"I need something harder this time..." She panted, her face already darkening from the buzz of the alcohol. "But not too hard. Maybe a margarita?"

"Someone's looking to party tonight..."

"Nope," She replied, solemnly. "Just drowning my sorrows."

"I see..." He turned around to mix her drink, using a blender to crush the ice. It was surprisingly quiet. "Rough breakup huh? Here you are, miss."

"Thanks."

He seemed to accept his assumption when he noticed that she hadn't bothered to reply or make any remarks about it. She didn't mean to be so cold toward him. The guy just seemed awfully chatty for someone who was only supposed to be doing his job. It was probably just an attempt to add to the atmosphere of the place. Robin wasn't in the mood to talk much tonight. She hadn't come here looking for company, as many of the patrons had, but rather in search of solitude; a place where she could be alone. Even though she was alone among people, she still felt alone. And that was what counted.

Her eyes traced and retraced the careful etchings in the stone that lined the counter in front of her. She found such intricate patterns when she wasn't really thinking... It was like being held prisoner behind her own mind. She found herself unable to voice her true thoughts, even if the opportunity somehow arose.

_'Why am I so angry and bitter tonight?'_

With a slight tilt of her head, she watched the fan blades slowly spinning above her, hanging from the roof of the bar. The place did have a charming atmosphere, she decided. It was a shame she'd never been here before...

Getting back to her previous thoughts, Robin knew that deep down, she was annoyed with the situation. What bothered her about it the most was that she'd never gotten any real retribution for what they'd done. By the time that group of Billions had realized they'd fucked up, it was already too late for them. It was no wonder Crocodile had chosen to reveal himself to them so readily... When she thought about that, it made sense. He seemed certain that all knowledge of his true identity would die with them. Or maybe he just didn't give a damn about any of it anymore. It bothered her how overly confident he was. She crunched the ice from the margarita between her teeth. The man was downright arrogant, and it pissed her off!

The scowl on her face, as she lightly sipped her ironically festive frozen drink, seemed to be doing a good job of keeping the other customers at the bar far away from her. She allowed a small smile to slip onto her face...

_'Heh. Good. Stay away...' _

She wasn't just annoyed with Crocodile, oh no... She was angry with Ace too. But it was a subconscious kind of anger. And it was different. She couldn't bring herself to be openly mad at him. She didn't feel she had a right to be upset, after all he _had_ helped her, but...

That was just it. Robin did not recall having asked for help. She flat out hadn't! All she'd wanted was the chance to defend herself. She was annoyed because she hadn't needed Ace to defend her. She didn't need anyone, and the thought of needing someone... It ate away at her, nagged her inner self, incessantly tugging at the subconscious corners of her mind until it drove her mad...

As soon as the idiots slipped up once, and she was able to go into her fighting stance with her arms crossed, she could have easily snapped every single one of their necks. It was true that they'd held her down so she couldn't, but she knew a lot more about leverage than the average person did. There was always a way out of everything. In the worst possible scenario, she would have at least been able to eventually twist herself around and use her powers to hold them all in place so she could get away. And at best case, she might have been able to kill all of them in a violent rage. It would have been self-defense anyway.

She hadn't wanted Ace to beat them up, he was interfering with her kill. Nor had she wanted Crocodile to dispose of them like he did. _No..._ That was so unsatisfying for her. She wanted the chance to fuck their worlds up, of her own accord. And not getting that meant that she hadn't really had proper closure. That was the underling problem with the way things had turned out.

_'I hate this!' _She practically growled, under her breath. _'I'm weak for depending on others to do things that I am perfectly capable of handling on my own...' _

This is why she was irate about it. She'd wanted to deal with them in her own way, not letting two different men defend her honor in ways they saw fit. She felt weak. She wanted to do what she saw as fitting, damn it. Now she felt like she owed them something. It wasn't right! And it ate away at her, even more deeply...

As much as she'd wanted to be alone, her new existence was a lonely one... She was almost certain the other patrons could almost see the flat emotions play across her face, in vivid detail.

"I need something harder!" She demanded of the bartender.

"What kind wou-"

"I don't care. Just something more... more intense than this. _Please._"

"You got it," He poured her something else, without explaining what it was, and handed it to her.

"Thank you." She smiled openly, for the first time since she'd been there.

Robin continued to sip at her next drink until it was empty, then ordered another one. And another, followed subsequently by another... By the end of the night, she'd had more than she could count. More than she should have, by far. Luckily, no one harassed her tonight, at this tavern. It was probably too upscale to allow anything like that and they had pretty good security as well. It wasn't until the wee hours of the morning, when she finally paid her tab and stepped away from the bar.

The room was spinning... And still, Robin couldn't bring herself to care. She was determined to walk home. She paused, just outside, to admire the beauty of the night sky. The stars twinkled in the distance. She watched the moon, watching over her, and tried to make her way back to her apartment.

Tonight felt so empty, somehow. Being alone normally didn't bother her at all. But she kept remembering another night, similar to this one, when someone else had walked her home... She kind of wished he were there to walk her home again tonight. No one had come through the doors to get her, no one had needed to come to her aide, and no one had offered to walk her home. And maybe that was for the best... But if so, why did it feel so awful inside?

She made her way across the empty streets, to the lonely apartment that awaited her. Something caught her eye, as she made her way into the building... Something bright and _orange._ It seemed to reach out and grab her.

_It was a hat. _

A single hat was lying on the steps that led to her apartment. She checked the strap, made of leather of the same off-putting gaudy color. There was a white moonstone pendant hanging from it, bearing a demon's skull as its insignia. Atop the brim sat a pair of goggles, one with each a smiling and frowning face etched onto the blue-tinted glass. It wasn't just any hat... She'd seen it many times before. It was definitely _his._

It caused her to falter in her steps. Robin leaned down to pick it up.

The only coherent thought that rang out through her drunkenness was a simple one. _'Why would he leave this here?' _

Why here of all places, and... Why him? What had he been doing there? And why leave his hat behind? Had he meant to, or had it been unintentional? So many questions... And no answers.

She noticed that he'd left it outside of the apartment building, and not outside of her door, in particular. He didn't know which apartment was hers yet. That was right... He'd only walked her back to the building that first night, and nothing more.

Robin was unable to make her way into her apartment that night. She'd paused only long enough to pick up the offending headgear, before continuing on her way. She was almost there; she'd made it halfway up the stairs, and then it was like something snapped inside of her. She took off, with no clear destination in mind. She bolted back down the remainder of the stairs and was standing outside the complex entrance, still clutching the orange hat, before she knew it.

The tears fell before she could stop them or even process the cause. There was nothing she could do to silence the tremors from the heavy sobs that wracked her body, causing her to shake... No one was around to know how miserable she was. No one would know how lost she felt... No one, except _him... _Her mind was a mess, just then. She wasn't thinking clearly and she didn't even care.

All she knew was that she had to go to him. There simply was no other option. She had to find him, before it was too late. 

* * *

><p>He knew her misery. He knew it all too well.<p>

"I miss her..." The words fell from his lips before he could stop them. "Damn it."

At first, Ace had considered going out for a drink. But for some reason, he just wasn't in the mood tonight. It was just as well, it's not like he had very much money left anyway. With a sigh, he'd given up on his plans of enjoying the evening. It was suddenly too much.

He wondered what those men had meant when they'd said they worked for Baroque Works... He'd never heard of them before. After digging around for what was left of the afternoon, he'd found out from locals that they were some kind of company... A company that seemed to be shrouded in secrecy. And that was odd, given the fact that apparently Robin worked there too.

The one thing he couldn't put his finger on, no matter how hard he tried or how long he pondered, was why... Why couldn't he get her off his mind?

Maybe it was the way she smiled... It could have just as easily been the way she talked, or the graceful way she moved, but it was more than that. It was the way she viewed life. It was her very existence in this somber, dark world. The thoughts within her head, the light in her deep blue eyes... It was simply the way she was, and everything about her, in all of it's entirety.

_'Why do I care so much?' _

With a small growl, Ace got up from the uncomfortable bed, wincing as the springs squeaked. He'd been trying to lie down after a day of fishing for information, but rest was impossible. He decided that he had to go somewhere. He could not stay in this room alone, not for one more minute...

Not knowing where he was going, he got dressed once again, donning his hat and fastening his belt, before slipping on his leather boots. He left the Inn, content to wander about town, as if pulled by some unknown force. He didn't know where he was going. Ace just had to get out for a bit to clear his head.

"Goodness, it's late! Where are you off to, at this hour?" The old lady at the desk asked him.

"Just out for a walk."

It wasn't like he owed her any kind of explanation. He was paying to stay here. Telling himself he didn't have to answer to that woman, the Pirate stepped out into the chill night air. He was shirtless, and couldn't help but notice how cold it was. That was the least of his concerns at the moment. He didn't have any particular destination in mind. He just knew that he needed to walk. And so he did.

He made his way down various alleys, until he came to a familiar path... The street that led from where he was staying down to the docks. The Striker was still moored there. He would have a way out if he needed it, but that just didn't feel right. He'd told himself that he would stay until his brother got here, and he intended to do just that. He hoped Luffy had gotten his message back on Drum Island. Leaving early wouldn't prove a thing. And what if Robin were to actually rethink things and take him up on his offer to go with him?

_'Robin...' _

He wished he could just forget about her, but it was not to be... He remembered everything.

There was no way she would ever come with him. He knew he was just kidding himself the whole time. There had always been a distant air of danger about that woman... She had this Mona-Lisa-like smile that told none of her secrets, but seemed to mock the world as a whole. He wondered just what kinds of secrets she did hide... It was like her heart was locked away behind a steel wall. She would never open up to anyone, least of all someone like him.

Subconsciously, he seemed to have retraced their steps from that night... The night they'd first met. He would give anything to just be able to go back to that night. He didn't know what he'd done wrong, but he felt that he'd somehow spoiled things with her. He'd done something, he didn't know exactly what... Maybe he'd just pried into her business too much? But whatever it was, no matter how bad it could possibly be, Ace found himself wanting to help her in any way he could. There was no secret she could be hiding that he couldn't deal with.

She was a strong person and didn't need protecting or coddling. He knew that, as well... Yet, he couldn't just stand by and do nothing to help her when she was in trouble. It was some sort of old school gentleman complex that had been instilled in him for a long time. He didn't want to pry too much into her life. It wasn't his place to do that.

He had plenty of secrets of his own to protect... His lineage, for one thing. While he was out, he'd secretly been hoping that maybe he'd run into her, that she might suddenly appear again or he might catch her on her way to or from some place. Maybe even coming home from work? But that was just a dream. He didn't see her, or anyone who even remotely resembled her, while he was walking around. He failed to notice where he was going, he'd more or less been following his instincts, and it was some unconscious fate that had led him to her doorstep.

_'Her apartment...' _He smiled, unable to stop himself. _'But which one is hers?'_

They weren't labeled, only numbered. There was no way to tell. His heart sank.

"Robin?" He found himself calling, into the silence, the dreadfully quiet stillness, of the night. "Robin! Are you home? Hey, Robin! I want to talk!"

He was as loud as he could afford to be, without waking the wrong people or risking offending the other inhabitants of her apartment complex. Ace did his best to call out to her. Either she didn't hear him, she wasn't home, or she just didn't want to talk to him. And he couldn't help but feel devastated. He was crestfallen.

_'It's no use... Wish I'd tried harder to walk her all the way home that night...' _

Miserably, the Pirate resigned to sit on the front steps. All he could do was lament his past choices, and curse the way things had turned out. He had to face the fact that he might never see her again. He didn't know how to find one girl in the middle of such a huge place. Alabasta was a very large country, and there was no telling where one could end up. He didn't know enough about the place to go searching everywhere. It wasn't part of his mission anyway, and he couldn't do it if he tried. This was the last place he had to go on, his last hope. And she wasn't here... Or didn't want to see him.

Lost in his myriad of thoughts, Ace had failed to notice the time passing. Things grew hazy and he began to nod his head, as he leaned against the stone columns that lined the front entryway of the building. Soon he was snoring away. His hat fell to the side, eventually slipping off his head. He'd drifted off to sleep, and it wasn't until he sensed someone walking close by that he finally woke up.

"Can I help you, sir?" An annoyed young lady with frizzy brown hair and thick rimmed glasses cast an annoyed glare at him.

"Hm? Huh? Wha... happened?" He asked, in a sleepy tone.

"Is there a reason you're here?"

He noticed that she'd sounded really irritated. "Oh, uhh..." Ace paused to look around for a minute. He had to take in his surroundings. "I was here looking for... someone. A friend."

"I work here," She adjusted the frames that sat on the bridge of her nose. "And we don't tolerate trespassers. Please state your business or leave."

"I'm here to see, uh... Nico Robin?"

_'At least I think that's her full name...' _When she appeared to accept that name, he was glad he'd vaguely recalled it.

"Oh." The girl seemed surprised. "That's odd... She doesn't usually have visitors. But it looks like she's stepped out for the evening. You probably just missed her before you got here and fell asleep."

"I'm so sorry. I was hoping she'd be home... Do you have any idea what time she'll be in?"

"Nope, not a clue," She shrugged. "Now I'm afraid I'll have to ask you to leave."

The puny girl that stood before him seemed rather intimidated by him. But then again, who wouldn't be? Ace knew he didn't have to listen to some insignificant mean-spirited bitch. Especially one who was likely just an ordinary civilian... But he also didn't want to start any trouble for Robin. She was already in enough trouble as it was. So the strong Pirate simply excused himself, getting up and dusting himself off before stalking off into the night.

He walked for a while... And he'd somehow ended up in the same place as before. He sat down on a crooked barstool in a seedy little bar and ordered a few rounds of beer... This was the place where he'd had the luck to meet such an amazing woman. A woman who definitely did not deserve to have to deal with all of the problems she was probably facing. Especially not alone. But it didn't matter where he was, in the long run. The outcome was always the same. Maybe he was tired of it always being the same.

About halfway there, he realized that he'd left his hat back at the apartment complex. He hoped that cheeky girl wouldn't mess with it. Maybe if he were lucky, Robin would find it and it would find it's way back to him somehow. If not, he could always get a new hat... Even though he had certain emotional attachments to that one.

_'I know you'll come back to me...'_ He smirked, taking a sip of his beer and slamming it down on the rickety old counter. 

* * *

><p><strong>AN: On recommendations from one of my lovely readers, I decided to go back and edit the previous chapter in a few places, to add in some things that I forgot about. I hope you don't mind... It was just about the Billions who cornered Robin already knowing Crocodile's identity. There's no way they would have actually known he was the leader of Baroque Works beforehand, since he didn't reveal that to anyone. So I made a mistake, and had to correct it. **

**I also tried to make sure I included some follow-up things about that encounter in this chapter. Robin is not a weak person and wouldn't be such a damsel in distress, of course. Well, I actually had a lot of fun with this chapter! Let me know what you think. c: And as always, thanks for reading!**

**-Kaline**


	9. Chapter 9

**Renegade Hearts**  
><strong>by Kaline Reine<strong>

**Disclaimer: I do not own One Piece or any of the characters/settings. This is just a fanfiction story. I claim nothing.**

**WARNINGS: This story contains (or may contain) graphic adult content and language, explicit sex scenes which may or may not be consensual, violence, cursing, dark and/or adult themes, etc. I do not censor my writing, but I do warn people about the subject matter and potential subject matter. Not all of my stories contain such things, but many of them will. So if you don't like that kind of thing or can't handle it, then I suggest not reading this story. You have been warned. **

**In other words, children please avert your eyes. Thank you. (I will leave this warning on every chapter, just to make sure people see it. I doubt this particular story is going to be all that bad, but I tend to get carried away sometimes, so you never know.)**

* * *

><p><strong>Chapter 9: <strong>

The moment she walked into the Inn, Robin had felt somewhat unwelcome. It was obvious from the way the elderly woman glared at her that she wasn't wanted here. She knew that a mysterious half-drunk woman wearing a black trench coat coming to an Inn in the middle of the night wasn't the most commonplace thing, but she wished people would give her at least a little more credit...

"You've come back... I remember you," The old lady crossed the room, got in her face, and squinted. Her silver hair was done up in a bun, her face a mass of wrinkles.

Even if she hadn't recognized the young woman who stood just inside the doorway of her establishment, the orange hat she held in one hand had to be a dead giveaway. Ace's look was very distinct. At least it had to look somewhat familiar to her. Anything that tied the two of them together could probably give away much more than Robin would have cared for anyone to know. It was always her eyes that gave her away... So distinct, so completely... _blue._

Robin was a little uncomfortable with the woman's close proximity. She took a few steps back. "I was um... hoping you could help me again? I'm looking for Portgas D. Ace and I-"

"So you've come back to snoop around, eh? This Inn is for paying customers only! Now scram!" She yelled. Long sharp unpainted fingernails pointed toward the door she'd just come through. "Out with ya!"

"Wait, please..." She tried to plead with the angry lady without seeming too desperate. "I really just wanted to know if I could speak with him for a minute? Surely it isn't a crime just to visit someone?"

"That all depends... Is it an _'overnight'_ visit?" She winked and nudged the girl.

"_What?!_" Robin's face was instantly solid red. She wasn't nearly sober enough to deal with this shit. "No _way!_ I mean... I just wanted to talk to him for a minute. That's all."

"Pah! That's boring..." She could have sworn the woman muttered under her breath. "Well you're too late anyway. He's stepped out for the evening. Said something about going for a walk, but that was hours ago."

"Oh... I see."

Robin instantly began to debate her options... She could wait for him to get back, but that didn't seem like a likely option. Mostly because the old woman would probably chase her out of the lobby well before he returned. She could try to find him, but she had no idea where he'd gone. This woman didn't seem to know either, or if she did, she wasn't telling. She turned away from the Innkeeper, a melancholy energy exuding from her being. The despair seemed to pour off of her in waves.

"Don't look so sad..." The elder seemed to feel bad for her. "You're bumming me out. He didn't check out or anything. He'll be back!"

"That's good, I was worried for a second." Robin tried to cover with a fake smile.

"Once again, this Inn is for..." Her voice suddenly got much lower. "_Paying_ customers only. Ahem..." She cleared her throat.

This was met with a blank, half-drunken stare. "I don't follow you...?"

"Listen, you're not too bright, are ya?"

"What do you mean?"

"What I mean is..." The woman lowered her voice even more. "You don't seem to catch on very quickly. I'm offering you a chance to wait in his room."

"That would be great!"

"...For the _right price!_" She grinned, showing that many of her teeth were missing.

Robin could only sigh. She smacked herself in the forehead. "Ugh... I'm really not interested. I just wanted to wait for him here, if that's alright?"

"Oh, sure... If you don't mind me telling him that you were here asking about him before. I'm not stupid, I know who you work for. Do you take me for a fool? I've gotten wise in my old age, Robin. Or should I say... Devil Woman?"

Her eyes went wide, like saucers. "You... You wouldn't..."

Was this old bitch really trying to blackmail her? And worse, was she actually succeeding? _'Fucking _really_?!' _

"Oh my, yes! I'll tell him _everything._" She stated boldly, and Robin knew she wasn't bluffing...

"What do you want from me?"

"Payment." She stated flatly, holding out her wrinkled palm.

"Ugh, fine... How much for your silence?" Robin began fishing around in the pockets of her trench coat. She was lucky she'd thought to bring so much cash with her. She hadn't known how much she would end up spending at the bar tonight, so she'd brought a lot.

"Two thousand beri ought to do it!" The woman chuckled happily. "If you throw in a little extra, I might even be willing to give you free reign of the whole Inn, and I'll even throw in the key to this Ace fellow's room. I can't guarantee when he'll be back, but as long as you don't overstay your welcome or take anything, he shouldn't find out. What do ya say, hmm?"

"You'd really do that?"

"Why not?" Her musty old green and orange kimono moved with her, as she shrugged. "I'm not responsible if you get caught snooping, mind you, but I'll try to warn you when he's back if I can."

Robin handed over the money. "Okay, you've got a deal."

She counted out two thousand beri exactly into her waiting hand, and then tried to decide how much would be enough to convince her to give her the key. She dished out another hundred beri, to which the woman shook her head. This was becoming annoying, and Robin growled in irritation... But she couldn't have this woman leaking her secrets to the person she'd been ordered to spy on. And she needed to see if she could find anything incriminating in his room. It would help with her mission. She took out another four hundred beri and added it to the quickly accumulating pile.

"That looks about right," The woman cackled happily, handing over a small bronze key. "Here, take this. He's in room 207."

"Yeah. Thanks." She took the key from the old hag, and turned to leave.

"A pleasure doing business with you, dearie."

"Likewise..."

Robin really didn't know why she felt so compelled to comply with the woman's insidious demands. She could have easily taken care of her. She just didn't want things to get any messier than they already were. It would be too suspicious if he came back to find the Innkeeper dead as a doornail. She'd decided the easiest route would be to go ahead and pay the old lady for her silence, and she figured she'd might as well try to gain access to his room while she was at it.

_'Well, that was annoying. ...And expensive.'_

It helped her mission greatly that she was getting a chance to really spy on Ace. She felt a little bad about entering his personal space without his consent, but it couldn't be helped. Hopefully the woman would keep her word about warning her. She seemed a little shady, but she'd been true to her word thus far.

The Baroque Works agent had found his room easily, and after opening the door with the rusty old key, she wasted no time in gong through his things. She then dropped the key into her jacket pocket.

She knew she didn't have any spare time to waste. She didn't even know what time Ace had left for his walk, if that was indeed where he'd gone. He could hypothetically be back any minute. He wasn't so good with keeping track of time anyway, especially with his narcolepsy. The more she learned about him, the more interesting he seemed to become...

His room wasn't really all that interesting though. It was a lot more sparse than she'd expected. It was fairly simple, with just a small bed, barely big enough for one person. There was a rickety nightstand beside it, with an old antique lamp. The bed covers were simple and plain, a dull gray color. It didn't look like he'd even brought any personal items along with him.

The only thing still in the room was his green bag with the black stripes. That was the only sign to tell who it belonged to. After perusing the contents, she didn't find anything of interest inside it. Just a few changes of clothes and some food and water... She did find a few vivre cards in a smaller compartment inside of his backpack, but there was no way to tell who they belonged to. They weren't even labeled or anything. It wasn't uncommon for Pirates to have vivre cards belonging to their friends and acquaintances, if for no other reason than to keep track of who was still living. She kept looking, but in the end was left empty-handed. There was nothing important and nothing that would give anything away.

Robin continued to look around a little, here and there. She opened the drawer on the nightstand, but found it completely empty. She was hoping to find a Den Den Mushi somewhere. If he had one, it may give her some clue about who he was keeping in contact with. Strangely, she didn't find any in the entire room.

She'd even checked the adjoining bathroom, and there wasn't much in there either... Only a few used towels and a straight razor with some shaving cream. A bottle of shampoo sat beside a bar of soap on the edge of the bathtub. Those were all the personal items in the entire room.

She felt very weird about being in his bedroom while he wasn't here. Over the series of years she'd been working with people, she'd come to notice that everyone had their own unique, individual scent. It seemed to exude from people, and one could tell a lot about a person just from that alone. His scent permeated the air in this room. It was everywhere. She'd noticed it from the moment she'd walked in.

Everything was so... _personal._ And yet, so uneventful. Robin didn't know what exactly she was even looking for. Just some clue as to who he was. A clue about what he was doing, to who he was chasing... Something, anything! The only thing she'd come up with so far was that he was a surprisingly simple man. There were no evil plans laying around, nothing incriminating that would indicate he was up to anything... Nothing at all. Just his simple belongings and nothing more.

And somehow, that was so _very _like him...

Oddly enough, that was what didn't sit quite right with her. No one traveled that light. There had to be something he was hiding. He'd obviously gone to a lot of trouble not to have anything of value in his room. Robin was torn between sticking around a bit longer and possibly snatching a few of those vivre cards she'd found anyway, counting herself lucky for having made it this far, and taking her leave.

That was when she heard it... Footsteps, coming down the hall. A distant part of her began to panic.

_'Nah, it can't be him already.' _Robin told herself. _'Besides, the old lady said she'd warn me.' _The footsteps kept edging closer. Then she started to get nervous._ 'Please keep going, please keep going...' _

The sound of solid steel-toe boots hitting old wooden boards clunked through the empty hallway. They finally stopped right in front of the door. She held her breath... And then a heavy sinking feeling formed in the pit of her stomach. The doorknob turned...

She wanted to hide, to crawl into some small space and make herself invisible. There was no closet, there wasn't room under the bed, and she didn't have time to run to the bathroom or anywhere else. The door was already opening and Portgas D. Ace stepped inside. He halted in his steps the moment he spotted her.

"Huh?" He blinked, unable to believe she was here... Standing right in front of him in his room. "Robin?"

_'How could I have been so stupid?!'_ Robin began to panic. She didn't even have to voice her thoughts aloud. He could read the shock that had registered on her face.

She said nothing. There wasn't really anything she _could_ say. Nothing would save her now. She was convinced he was about to kill her. There was no way she could possibly justify being in his bedroom like this. Especially while he was away. He would know she was a spy, and there was no way a Pirate would let that go. No matter how nice he seemed, he was still a _Pirate,_ and therefore could not be trusted.

No one was ever trustworthy in the first place, in her opinion. No... In her eyes, everyone was just waiting for a chance to stab her in the back. It was only a matter of _when_ they would betray her, not _if_. But this time, she'd betrayed herself. She'd also betrayed him. There was no one else to blame. She hadn't even been ordered to do this, she'd just done it on a whim.

Ace just continued to stare blankly at her. His mind didn't seem able to process what he was seeing. "Are you... Why are you here?" The door clicked closed behind him.

"I was just- Well, um..."

She fumbled for the right words. How could she save herself? He was going to be _so_ angry! She could feel it...

"Your face is kinda red..." In the blink of an eye, he'd crossed the room and was standing right in front of her. He got really close to her, gazing into her eyes and then letting his ink black eyes roll over her face. "Are you feeling alright?" His voice didn't sound the same. It sounded darker, more dangerous somehow.

"Y-yeah, I'm fine. I just..." She slowly began inching away...

An arm slammed into the wall beside her with violent force. "I _know_ why you're here." He chuckled.

Robin smelled the strong scent of beer on his breath. _'He's been out drinking. I should've known...'_

His other arm soon joined that one. Ace had pinned her against the wall before she could get away. All of her defenses were down... Robin was the one in the wrong here, and she knew it. There wouldn't be an easy way to get out of this.

She could try to grab him, to restrain him somehow, or maybe even twist his body into a painful hold long enough to get away. But he could always burn her. He'd proven many times that his devil fruit ability was no joke. Once she'd seen it in action, she'd known instantly that she never wanted to feel anything like that. It would be very painful... Probably painful enough to break her concentration, negating any technique she could have tried. This was certainly a sticky situation.

"Do you?" There was a clever lilt to her voice; Robin was almost a tad amused.

She kept hoping he would let her go. No such luck.

"Yeah. I just figured it out."

He didn't move. She was stuck. And all he was doing was staring her down...

Robin's heart pounded inside her head. She hated feeling helpless like this. She couldn't help but feel so small next to his large frame. His muscles twitched. He was probably contemplating mauling her right now, or burning her where she stood... All she could think of was how painfully she was about to die. She hoped he would make it quick. She hadn't accomplished any of her goals yet, and she knew she couldn't just give up that easily.

_She would have to fight him. _

And then he leaned in even closer... Moments before his lips hit hers, she could feel his breath fanning her face. And he stopped, less then an inch away from touching her. She realized that he reeked of beer. He was obviously not himself right now. He was clearly very drunk.

"I came-" She began to explain, but was cut off.

"Me too... Heheh..." He hiccupped, smiling sideways at her.

Seeing the cute blush spread across his face was getting to her. Coupled with those freckles, it was too much... She pretended to be unaffected though.

"Are you trying to be cute? You're _not_ cute," She frowned, finding her voice. "I was just trying to say that I... I came here to bring you your hat. I found it on the steps to my apartment complex. I thought I sh-should return it to you?"

She'd tried to stop her voice from shaking, but it was impossible under the present circumstances. It was a long shot. Robin was fairly quick to think up good lies, but that was all she'd been able to come up with. She hoped he would buy it.

"Good excuse," He admitted, tilting his head to one side. "I'm 'not cute' huh? Who are you trying to convince? Me...? Or yourself?" He spoke the last part teasingly.

Ace seemed to be examining her. His eyes bore into hers, as if searching for the truth, as if looking for something that could only be found there. Robin began to forget herself... She wondered why he was just standing there awkwardly staring at her. But she stared him down, with every bit of ferocity that she could muster.

She glanced down. There was something sticking out of his pants. And it _wasn't_ the knife he normally had attached to his belt.

_'Oh... Oh my!'_ Her blush deepened severely when she realized...

"You!" She said, suddenly. "I mean, I don't have to convince myself of anything."

"I don't know about that," He said, point blank. "I think you're here for the same reason I've wanted you here..."

_'Crap, he doesn't believe me!' _

"You've... wanted me here?" Somehow, she'd become breathless in a mere matter of seconds. "Why?" She found herself asking the question before she could stop it. Her cerulean eyes looked into his, full of doubt.

Ace didn't seem to know how to articulate his thoughts into words. Though he appeared to be so drunk that he was probably lucky to still be standing, at this point. Seeing how close he was to her was also getting to her. Robin didn't understand how one person could look so... damn good. Especially up close like this. Even the most attractive people tended to lose their appeal when viewed extremely close up. That was another pattern she'd noticed with people.

She flailed for an excuse, something, _anything_ she could say that might stand the slightest chance of making the situation better. But all she found in place of words was an empty space where they should be.

"I just came here to return your hat to you!" Robin finally blurted. She would have tried anything to fill the awkward silence that had settled between them. It was the only reason she had.

"Is that so? Then why is it on the bed?"

Knowingly, Robin reached around him. She tried to grab it, since it wasn't too far from the wall she was still trapped against, but her attempts were unsuccessful and only served to push her body against his.

"You're really... strong."

"I know." His grin widened.

Ace was still regarding her with a carefully guarded look. And he hadn't budged an inch. She could have sworn that his gaze drifted down to her chest, before coming back up before he thought she would notice. But he was too slow and she was too perceptive for it to work.

Trying in vain to get herself out of this awkward situation, Robin folded her arms across her chest. It served two purposes... First, to stubbornly block his view, and second, to make an attempt at summoning some help from her devil fruit powers. Ace didn't actually stop her, but he was prepared to defend himself whenever necessary. And she knew that... She was still trapped.

Cleverly, she caused her extra limbs to pop up behind him, and rather than attempting to grab him, which would have been very foolish, she used them to grab the hat from the bed and bring it to her. She picked it up, letting her extra arms to disappear. The entire process took only a few seconds.

"It's right here." She told him.

"Put it on my head," He responded, without missing a beat.

"You seem awfully coherent for a man who's drunk off his ass."

"Just humor me."

Slowly, carefully, she placed the hat on top of his head. Robin was careful to move the pendant so it hung it front, in the middle of his chest, like always. She tugged at the edges of it to make sure the bright orange monstrosity was positioned correctly. She didn't worry about his hair, since it was already messed up beyond all reason. It appeared he'd had a rough night so far.

He was still looking at her... Right into her eyes. His had never once faltered. They'd been glued to her from the instant he'd walked into the room and found her there. And then he hiccupped again. He'd clearly had a lot to drink tonight.

Robin swallowed a lump that had formed in her throat. "Must have been some walk..." She muttered.

"What'd you say?"

"Just that it must have been some walk. I came in, and the lady at the desk mentioned that you'd gone out for a walk. I just thought-"

"You shouldn't think so much. You should follow your instincts more." He smiled, but it was only halfway there, and goofy looking, a sure testament to his inebriated state. "Pretty lady..." This was followed by yet another hiccup.

"Are you going to let me go, or...?"

"Nope." His half-cocked smile said it all.

That was it. She'd officially run out of things to say. There was no arguing with a drunk. Especially not when he was like this. All she could do was wait to see what he would do, and react accordingly.

Making up his mind, however inebriated it may be, Ace decided it was time to do what he wanted... What he'd wanted to do for a long time now. All he could do was try.

_It was now or never... _

Cautiously, tenderly, he pressed his lips against her cheek. She didn't pull away, but he felt her tremble, a confused look in her eyes as she searched his for some kind of answer. She wouldn't find any there.

And then he moved down, to press his lips against hers. He saw her eyes widen, but her face softened a bit, as she gave in to the kiss. She didn't move away. Both of their eyes drifted closed... They had to enjoy this for what it was, even if only for one brief moment... They both knew that may very well be all they would ever have.

Robin was beginning to let herself go... His kiss felt passionate, fiery, just like him. It was everything she'd expected it to be. It would be a grievous lie to say that she hadn't at least thought about this before. Entertaining a mere thought and experiencing it firsthand were two completely different things, however. She felt like she would melt beneath his touch. It was exquisite. She felt a small tremor run through her entire being, as he tucked a few strands of her hair back into place, without breaking the kiss. Her hands reached up to touch the back of his neck, pulling him in closer before she could stop herself.

He wasn't touching her at all, after that. Both of his hands were still firmly pressed against the wall, their knuckles turning white from self-restraint. He didn't dare to touch her. He knew he might lose all control if he let himself do that. He'd never wanted any woman this much.

Ace's tongue came out to lick at her lips, seeking entrance, his warm breath spreading across her face like wildfire. She allowed it, tentatively reaching out with her own. They felt one another's slight movements, reaching into each other and moving together, each reacting to the other. He mimicked what he'd like to do to her, and she felt butterflies well up in the pit of her stomach. It was more intense than anything she'd ever felt.

"Wh-what do you want from me?" Breaking the kiss, and pulling away, she voiced her thoughts aloud.

Ace seemed to consider that for a moment. "I want to take you to bed. _Right now._ You and me..."

Robin was completely speechless. She hadn't expected this to happen so fast... Hell, she hadn't been expecting it to happen _at all! _Thinking about it for a moment, she realized that she actually _wanted_ to take him up on his offer. He'd hiccupped right after that, reminding her of his drunkenness.

_'I really don't know enough about him to be to consent to something like that!' _The panicked thoughts filled her head. She was still a little buzzed too, and it had taken them a moment to make it all the way through. _'And we're both drunk, to top it off...'_

He continued kissing her, his tongue delving into her mouth and licking everywhere. He broke it again, only to move down to her neck, where he nibbled and left little love bites.

His hands began to wander, as he finally let himself touch her... First at her sides, and then his fingers brushed across her chest, going up to tangle themselves in her hair. The sweet gesture of putting it back into place earlier was long forgotten. He held her unbelievably close, still keeping her trapped between himself and the wall.

Ace carefully removed her low-cut trench coat, one button at a time. He seemed to linger in certain places far longer than he should have. All he knew was that it was in his way. The whole time, he said nothing, just stared her down, getting lost in a sea of blue as she gazed back at him... Finally, the offending garment was off and he tossed it behind him onto the bed, casually. He ran his hand under her skirt, letting his fingertips brush against her bare thigh.

She felt him moving his hips slightly and she was certain he was aroused. It was very obvious and she could feel it. It felt strangely good to her though, and she moved against him a little. She didn't know where to touch him, so she kept her hands at his neck for now. She let out a little moan, which urged him to continue...

What he was doing felt amazing to Robin, having never truly allowed anyone to get this far with her. She tried not to focus on what felt good, and instead pay attention to how she felt, deep down. What if he didn't really want to do this? Maybe he was just drunk and horny. This could only be a one time thing... And she didn't think she could take that. Maybe with some people, but not with someone like him. Not when she was dangerously close to becoming addicted to his touches already; the feeling of his body against hers... It was all too much.

'_This isn't right. What if I'm actually taking advantage of him? He doesn't even seem to be in the right state of mind...'_

His free hand ventured into her shirt, working hastily to unfasten her bra... But then he seemed to have some trouble with it. He was obviously too drunk to manage undoing the clasp. Finally, he gave up, just going inside it to play with her nipples a bit. Ace liked the way it caused her to gasp. She was responding to his every movement, and it was glorious... He wanted to leave her breathless, and wanting more.

He eventually stopped, letting his hand fall from her shirt to cup her magnificent ass. He pulled her even closer against him, although it was surprising that was still possible at this point. He brought his other hand up, feeling the edge of her panties, before she stopped him, pushing him away.

"I can't," Robin finally sighed, turning her head to one side. "I'm sorry, I can't do this."

The moment seemed to have been broken. All of a sudden, his caresses became too rough. It had turned from light petting to heavy petting very quickly. He was desperate to convince her. He wanted her to feel that it was okay, this felt so right to him. He wanted her and he needed to show her that. Ace didn't seem to be in control of himself anymore. The hold he had on her was almost bruising. His kisses became much more insistent, and he didn't act like he'd heard her at all. He was still reaching for her panties, but she twisted out of the way so he couldn't reach where he wanted.

She had no other choice but to push through her fear. She was afraid he would burn her, but Robin knew if she didn't at least try using her powers, she wouldn't be able to escape. She conjured many copies of her arms, probably several more than she would need, and grabbed Ace from behind.

Before the Pirate even knew what was happening, he was restrained. She'd crept up on him and he'd failed to notice. She used leverage to pull him away, causing his back to arch under the pressure. She nearly snapped him in half! One false move was all it would take to push her to that point...

Despite all of the phantom limbs holding him back, he still tried to grab her. Not out of anger, no. The look on his face was one of sorrow and regret. And _desire..._ Desire so strong, it was almost palpable.

"Wait! Robin, hang on, I-"

All he managed to do was grab the edge of her skirt. To his horror, it ripped. He was left with a scrap of purple cloth in his hand. The sheer terror shown on her face and she kicked at him, freeing herself completely. None of the kicks actually landed, but she hadn't meant for them to. It was merely a warning.

Ace knew he could get out of her grip, if he used his own devil fruit powers, but at what cost? He could never bring himself to actually harm her. If he'd known she wasn't that into it, he would have already stopped long ago. He'd truly thought she was just playing hard to get. Nothing made sense right now, and he felt like maybe he shouldn't have tried this while under the influence. Those were his only coherent thoughts, through the haze of the alcohol.

His cheeks burned, and he tried to keep his temper under control. He was keeping very good control of his own abilities, given the situation. But if he ever did burn anyone... It was on purpose! And he refused to let harm come to her, even at his own hands.

Robin held him in place with her extra arms, shocked that she wasn't already dead by now. Backing away from him, she kept him there until she was halfway out the door. She didn't even bother grabbing her coat from the bed. She just wanted a way out, and he hadn't given her one, so she'd made her own way.

She turned to look at him over her shoulder. "This is... a mistake. I have to go."

He did try to follow her, but his narcolepsy seemed to choose that moment to kick in, aided by his drunken state. Ace could feel the world, slowly slipping away from him. He felt dizzy, the room spun, and things began to fade to solid, somber black. His eyes closed and he was unable to fight it anymore. The drunken Pirate collapsed onto his bed, luckily managing to stumble in that direction at the last second.

"I'm... sorry..." He whispered into the bedsheets, his voice echoing through the empty room.

The click of her heels on the wooden floor echoed down the hall and into the distance... Robin was already gone. 

* * *

><p><strong>AN: I think these two have a good back-and-forth. I tried, anyway... Lol. Told you it would eventually be adult. I know Ace isn't really that bad of a guy, he really likes her and was caught up in the moment, plus drunk on top of it. I hope I didn't do anything to disappoint anyone, but this had to happen at some point and the story called for it, so I felt like it was time. Yay conflict! Viva la drama! Hopefully it was written to your satisfaction. I look forward to seeing you all at the next chapter. c: **

**-Kaline**


	10. Chapter 10

**Renegade Hearts**  
><strong>by Kaline Reine<strong>

**Disclaimer: I do not own One Piece or any of the characters/settings. This is just a fanfiction story. I claim nothing.**

**WARNINGS: This story contains (or may contain) graphic adult content and language, explicit sex scenes which may or may not be consensual, violence, cursing, dark and/or adult themes, etc. I do not censor my writing, but I do warn people about the subject matter and potential subject matter. Not all of my stories contain such things, but many of them will. So if you don't like that kind of thing or can't handle it, then I suggest not reading this story. You have been warned. **

**In other words, children please avert your eyes. Thank you. (I will leave this warning on every chapter, just to make sure people see it. I doubt this particular story is going to be all that bad, but I tend to get carried away sometimes, so you never know.)**

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><p><strong>Chapter 10: <strong>

"You were supposed to warn me!" Robin hissed, her voice guarded. She was trying to be quiet, but at the same time she needed to yell.

"I never said that. I said _I'd try!_" The old woman at the Inn retorted, with a slightly menacing giggle. "I hope you've enjoyed your stay. You can hang onto that key. Never know when it may come in handy, hehe..."

_'Okay, this lady is seriously creeping me out...' _

"What's your name, anyway? I never got it."

"That's an easy question. It's Agatha. Now get out!"

The key was still in her jacket pocket, anyway. It wasn't like she'd tell the old lady that though. She was still quite shaken up for her encounter with one of the most dangerous men on the Grand Line.

"Alright, whatever." She managed a small half-hidden smile. Some things never changed. "I have to go anyway..."

Robin got out of there as quickly as she could. She didn't want to deal with anymore tonight. It was too much. Not even giving the woman a chance to say anything else, she began to walk back toward her apartment at a brisk pace. She didn't stop to look back and never even paused long enough to look at anything. All she was focused on was her goal. And that was getting the hell out of there before something even worse happened!

She rushed down the street, as she broke into a run, ignoring every single random passerby that she encountered. All of their faces became a blur. The only face she could think about was the one that she'd recently allowed to get so close to her... Normally full of freckles and a confident grin of delight, the ordinarily friendly visage of Ace had changed drastically in her mind.

Robin was embarrassed beyond all belief. She was unable to believe what just happened had really happened. She barely noticed the light of the full moon or the way the stars glittered in the distance... She wasn't paying attention to anything when she passed through the gate that led to the apartment complex. Her boots thumped up the stairwell and she fished for her keys, relieved when she found them.

Every 'what if' in the world seemed to run through her head, all at once...

_'What if I hadn't turned him down? Would we be...'_ She shook her head forcefully, slamming the door to her apartment shut behind her. _'No, don't think like that! We would be doing nothing! Absolutely nothing! Because we're not, I mean we didn't do anything...' _

She flopped down onto the bed, sinking into it with a sigh.

"Oh my gosh... He _kissed me!_" Both hands pressed against her cheeks, feeling how hot they were. "He actually..." Her fingers brushed across her swollen lips. "He kissed me... His lips... They were on mine!"

She couldn't believe it. And she felt kind of silly for talking about it out loud and reacting to it so strongly. But now she was alone, there was no one to hear her, and she was safe.

She hadn't even been fully aware of what she was doing, she was still half-drunk herself... At the time, it had felt so right to be near him. It made her miss the feeling. And Robin hated that. He'd been trying to do things without her consent, hadn't he? He'd been so forceful with her...

It felt like she'd betrayed herself. She couldn't even catch her breath yet, partially from running all the way here, but mostly from thinking about what she'd just left behind. It had given her a rush of adrenaline that she'd dearly missed. It wasn't like working for Baroque Works and stealing ships or spying on people or killing someone though... It was a different kind of rush altogether.

It was hard to believe the way Ace had prepositioned her, so openly like that. _'I wonder if he does that to all women, or if it was just me... Why am I so damned special? What makes me worthy of his attentions in the first place?' _

Robin knew that drunken words were often sober thoughts... But what about drunken actions?

She tried not to read too much into it. She knew she was still at least a little buzzed, even now. Maybe the guy was just drunk and lonely. Although she was fairly certain that was at least part of it, somehow it still didn't sit right with her. Something was a little off... It had felt so genuine, so_ real._

So honest...

Sighing, she got up and went to take a shower. Staying there and feeling sorry for herself would accomplish nothing. She could pick apart facts and feelings for hours, and still get no results.

Robin scrubbed herself all over, and it was like all of the bad feelings melted away... She washed her hair and then got out, wrapping a towel around herself. She started feeling especially naked, even here in the privacy of her own apartment. What happened had made her feel awkward and she was especially on her guard. She felt the need to double-check that the blinds were closed and the door was locked. It was only then that she was able to put the towel down and put on her night clothes, this time slipping into the sleek black lace chemise that she always wore. It was half see-through and it made her wish she had something else, anything else, to wear to sleep.

Resolving not to think about it any further, she laid in bed, curling up with a novel she'd been reading. She couldn't bear to think about romance, but a decent action/adventure story was always good for keeping her mind off things. She knew that sleep would be an impossibility tonight.

"Someday I'll have to face all of this..." She mused, turning the page. "I can't keep running forever." 

* * *

><p>It had been a cold, dead kind of sleep. He'd simply drifted off and his consciousness had faded away into nothingness. At least he'd slept tonight. If he hadn't been so completely shit-faced, he probably would have been up all night. Ace couldn't remember having that good of a night in a long time, but now he felt well-rested, except for the headache, which would eventually wear off...<p>

He _hoped._

"Ugh..." He said, to no one in particular. "I really overdid it last night."

Drinking always messed with his sleep disorder something fierce... So it was no wonder he'd passed out. He hadn't partied that hard in a long time.

He rolled over on the bed, staring up at the ceiling, watching the fan spinning slowly... He was alone. That was a good sign. At least he hadn't done anything irreversible this time. Ace let his arm fall over, and it landed against something soft, but more course than the dull woolen bedsheets were.

Something shiny caught his eye. There were silver buttons sewn all over the black fabric of the garment he was touching. It didn't look familiar and definitely wasn't his. He held it to his face, feeling the soft cloth. He sniffed it, inhaling a delicate feminine scent. It was nice, it reminded him of someone... Someone he didn't know very well, but he knew how to read her better than most people. It smelled just like the woman from the pier side bar.

_'Wait...'_ His thoughts finally seemed to catch up to him. _'Did I just_...?'

Ace's eyes snapped open wide in shock. He suddenly remembered something... He'd walked home alone from the bar last night. But when he'd gotten to his room, he remembered feeling the same kind of surprise.

_There had been a woman here._

In his foggy memory, he tried to piece things back together. Ace remembered her dark hair, her piercing, unreadable blue eyes...

"Robin..." Her name rolled off his tongue, like a dreadful long-kept secret; dark, sinister, and full of regret...

Although no one else was in the room, Ace's eyes scanned the rest of the area. He saw signs of a small struggle, but nothing major. Just the usual thing you'd see if a man and woman were alone together for a while. Especially if one of them, or both of them, happened to be drunk at the time.

He glanced at his other hand, gasping when he saw what it contained... Nothing but a scrap of cloth, but that single shred said it all. And the memories came... It was as if a floodgate had been opened in his mind.

He remembered everything. And that was rather unfortunate...

He recalled coming in drunk, finding her in his room, and pinning her against the wall beside the bed. He recalled the way she'd reacted, staring at him with her mouth half open, completely awestruck. He remembered the way she'd hesitated to turn down his crass offer for her to join him in his bed. He recalled each and every word she said, unable to erase it from his mind. He even remembered what she smelled like. Her scent was all over the trench coat she'd been wearing, even the scent of her perfume was alluring. She was intoxicating... And Ace was intrigued.

"I did... all of that. I was horrible to her. I'm so ashamed..."

He knew he was alone and it didn't make one bit of difference what he said. He kind of wished she was still here, just so he could tell her how sorry he was... He looked to his right, hoping to find some sort of answer to his troubles. Only the purple scrap of cloth remained. He didn't remember where exactly that had come from, but he knew it belonged to her. It was exactly the shade that she always wore.

_Robin purple._ What a notion. Her eyes, what an ocean...

_'I need to stop getting so damned sentimental. She's just a woman I know. A friend. She'll understand, everyone makes mistakes. Right? ...Right.'_

He rose from the bed, in a hurry to get himself up and dressed. It honestly surprised him that he wasn't puking by now. Ace really could handle his liquor. He made a mental note to stop partying so much after this. After a quick shower and a shave, he was back in his room.

And there the coat sat. Silver on black... She was always so sophisticated, preferring simple but elegant fashions. He kind of liked that about her. She wasn't a _girl,_ she was a _woman._ There was a world of difference.

Something had to be done about this. It wasn't right. There had to be some way to fix the situation, or at least stop it from becoming any worse. Picking up the trench coat, he grabbed his hat and put it on. Every time he saw it, he thought of her. He would have to think up a story about last night... She'd been there too, that much was true, but Ace was convinced that he could probably figure out something to say that would make sense of everything. But right now, his mind was drawing a blank... He needed to be near her.

The only sound that could be heard throughout the little Inn were the heavy, clunky footsteps of his boots, racing down the hall. The old woman behind the counter greeted him with a big grin and a nod, just as she always did. But she said nothing. He missed the knowing look she'd given him, right as he'd left the building... 

* * *

><p>There was an irritating buzzing sound coming from the other room. Robin realized this vaguely, as she rolled over in her bed, a mass of covers tangled around her legs. It was her doorbell.<p>

"Huh? Just a minute!" She called sleepily, trying in vain to arrange her hair. It felt like it was a mess.

There was no answer. That only caused Robin to rush even more. As soon as she stood up, she cried out, the room falling away from her. She landed in the middle of the ice cold hardwood floor with a dull thud. She was beginning to panic. This wasn't like her at all, she was normally so graceful.

"Damn blanket!" She yelled, muttering to herself as she shoved it away from her. "Stupid thing..." The offending blanket was kicked haphazardly by the foot of the bed, where it was left behind in a heap.

Much to her annoyance, the buzzing resumed. Whoever it was, whatever they wanted was obviously urgent. She hoped it wasn't her boss. That would be bad, especially considering the way last night had gone. She definitely did not want to have to deal with work right now. Silently cursing to herself, Robin got to her feet and rushed into the living room to look through the peephole in the center of her door.

It was Ace. He was shifting his weight from one foot to the other, somewhat nervously. It caused her to smile, just a little. He was cute when he didn't know he was being watched... Robin didn't think she'd ever seen him this worked up about anything.

Forcing the smile from her face, she hesitantly undid the locks and opened the door. She stood in the frame, only opening it just to her body width and no more. She firmly blocked him from entering. This was her last true sanctuary from all the evils of the world and no one else was allowed in. This was a rule she had never broken for anyone.

Ace just stared at her for a minute... He could easily tell she'd just woken up. It was obvious, from the way her hair was disheveled, and her outfit... His clever eyes scanned her body, noticing the pretty black chemise, lined with ribbon and lace. She looked damn nice in it, especially showing so much skin, and had he been a lesser man, he might have slammed her against the door right now.

"Can we talk?"

"_No._" Noticing his gaze, she moved to slam the door in his face. A stubborn foot blocked it.

"Look, I'm just gonna level with you," He spoke, his eyes completely sincere. "The reason I'm in Alabasta is... I'm looking for my little brother. I'm sorry I never told you everything before."

"Your... brother?" This was the first she'd heard about it.

Robin stood in the doorway, still effectively blocking him from entering. There was something about her body language that suggested she did not trust him. It sometimes took her a while, but Robin always got to the bottom of things... eventually. That was why Crocodile valued her so highly. She made for a wonderful spy, especially when the targets were male. He had her attention. She could use this information to help with her mission, and that was still her main objective in all of this.

"May I come in?" He asked as nicely as possible, given the urgency of his request. It was clear that he hoped she said yes.

"Why should I allow it?"

"Because I know you want an explanation for everything. And you deserve that much..."

"Fine," With a sigh and a roll of her eyes, Robin turned away and allowed him entry. She'd invaded his space without permission, at least he was asking politely.

Ace walked inside, closing the door behind him. He marveled at how nice her apartment actually was. There were bookshelves lining all of the walls, every single one of them filled to the brim with books. She even had a few potted plants. There was a sofa and a table with a few chairs scattered around it. It was clear that she only used one of them, it was pulled out and there was an empty coffee cup on the table. Everything else was neat and clean. It was much better than the Inn where he was currently staying. But he wouldn't have to be there long, at least.

"I really need to talk to you about last night." He admitted.

"That's funny, I don't want to talk to you at all. I'm not even sure why you're here. I'll just be honest... I don't want to be anywhere near you."

"Whoa, hold on a minute. Why so hostile?" He watched her walk across the room.

"Sit. Make yourself comfortable. I'm going to get... _dressed._" Her eyes narrowed, as she closed the door to her room. "_You_ stay out _here!_"

Ace decided it would be in his best interest not to respond to that. He sat on her couch, folding the coat neatly in his lap. The scrap of cloth was lying on top of it. He felt that it was somehow incriminating, but he wasn't even sure how much she would remember, when he'd decided to come here.

It was worse than he thought... So much worse. They clearly had a lot that they needed to sort out. He waited a few minutes, until Robin emerged wearing a pair of plain blue jeans and a dark maroon T-shirt. She'd made sure to cover herself up completely, but she managed to somehow look stunning in anything.

Too bad the image of her in that alluring chemise from earlier would be forever burned into the furthest recesses of his memory... 

* * *

><p><strong>AN: Aaaand back on track with the plot! I hope their little interaction was an enjoyable and fun read for everyone. Sorry this chapter was so short, but I barely made it in time for this update. I really appreciate all of the positive feedback this story has gotten. Honestly, it surprises me... Thank you all so much for being so sweet! c:  
><strong>**Btw, Happy late Birthday, Ace-kuuunnnnn! -sighs and melts-****  
><strong>

**-Kaline**


	11. Chapter 11

**Renegade Hearts**  
><strong>by Kaline Reine<strong>

**Disclaimer: I do not own One Piece or any of the characters/settings. This is just a fanfiction story. I claim nothing.**

**WARNINGS: This story contains (or may contain) graphic adult content and language, explicit sex scenes which may or may not be consensual, violence, cursing, dark and/or adult themes, etc. I do not censor my writing, but I do warn people about the subject matter and potential subject matter. Not all of my stories contain such things, but many of them will. So if you don't like that kind of thing or can't handle it, then I suggest not reading this story. You have been warned. **

**In other words, children please avert your eyes. Thank you. (I doubt this particular story is going to be all that bad, but I tend to get carried away sometimes, so you never know.)**

* * *

><p><strong>Chapter 11:<strong>

Robin sat across from him in a small armchair. It looked like it was positioned away from the sliding glass doors that led to her balcony, probably to better catch the rays of sun as she sat there reading... That's what he would assume, judging from all of the books that lined her walls. She seemed to be an intelligent woman. He hoped they weren't all just there for show.

"I brought back your jacket." Ace stated bluntly. He was so eager for her forgiveness, and just seemed to want to speed things along.

"Thank you for returning it," She adjusted her plain crimson T-shirt, pulling it down. "But it's not a jacket, it's a trench coat."

"Eh, same difference."

He handed the garment to her, but she didn't take it.

"That's an oxymoron..."

"I _am not!_" He shouted, pouting a bit.

"Good. That's not what that word means."

"Okay, so they aren't just for show..." Ace muttered, under his breath.

"What is _that_ supposed to mean?" Robin asked, crossing her arms, defensively. Yet, she let out a small giggle. She couldn't help it.

"I was wondering if... Well it's silly, heh. Nevermind."

"No, go on..." She leaned forward, seeming genuinely interested in what he had to say. Especially now that he'd apparently lost his nerve. That was a first.

"I was just thinking to myself earlier... I was wondering if all these books were for show or if you actually read them? I'm guessing you do." He smiled cheekily, with a dry laugh. "Little bookworm..."

"Shut up!"

There were several small throw pillows behind her in the large chair. When she threw one of them at his head, it was on. Ace returned it to her, causing her to squeak and attempt to hit him with it. He grabbed one from the couch he was sitting on and tossed it at her, before throwing her coat along with it. It was a good thing she didn't have anything breakable nearby. A pillow fight had ensued and both of them laughed the whole time. It continued for a while, until the two were about to collapse in a fit of laughter.

"Alright, look," Robin held up both hands in front of her face, the palms outspread to signify her surrender. Finally, the onslaught ceased. "This is serious. About what happened last night-"

"Actually, I wanted to ask you..." Ace straightened his spine, seeming more alert than he'd been a moment ago, as he tossed a pillow back behind him. "What _did_ happen? I actually can't remember. But I'm pretty sure you were there. I was hoping _you_ could tell _me._"

His nervousness had returned. Things had gone from being fun and silly to being completely serious within a matter of mere minutes.

"I was there." Her arms crossed again, as she took a sip of her coffee. She drank from a delicate white and gold porcelain cup. "But how did you figure that out?"

_'When did she make that coffee?'_ Ace wondered. _'I haven't seen her get up from that spot since she came back into the room... Which could only mean...'_

He looked over just in time to see her phantom arms vanish from their places along the countertops and floor. She'd used her powers just to make a drink? It made him wonder what other lengths she might be willing to go to.

_'So... She thinks she's clever.' _

"From your jacket," With a smirk, Ace played along with her questions, trying to come up with something. "I've seen you in it before, I think."

"I don't recall that. And it's not a jacket."

He shrugged. "Fuzzy memory, I guess. I was drunk, you know. Plus there's this." He held up the scrap of cloth he'd torn from her skirt. "I found it next to the jacket- er, coat, I know." He corrected himself.

"Right. Well, thanks for bringing it back to me." Her eyes narrowed, as if trying to see right through him. "You were far too... too _inebriated_ to be reasoned with last night. Are you sure you don't remember anything at all?"

Robin was no fool, and she was very good at reading people. She knew he wasn't exactly telling the truth. No... There was something more to it than that. There had to be.

_'Damn it, I was hoping she wouldn't call my bluff...'_

"Okay, I give up... I do remember one thing."

"And what is that?" She asked, patiently awaiting his answer with an amused smile.

He leaned in closer to her, like he was ready to speak in a whisper. Ace savored the moment, loving the feeling of being so close to her, and trying everything he could to prolong it. She seemed to be waiting for something, out of sheer curiosity, if for no other reason.

"_Your eyes..._" He sighed, with a whisper, gazing into them deeply.

Robin didn't know what to say... Here was this madman of a Pirate, dead set on being her... friend or something? He'd weaseled his way into her life from out of nowhere. Her boss had conveniently assigned her to watch him. Her one goal was to extract information from him, any kind of information would do... And here he was, talking about her eyes, of all the things he could be paying attention to.

He had to be insane. There was no other explanation.

"I can't believe you have the audacity to even _say that_ after last night!" She suddenly spat, drawing back. "I should kick you out right now..." Instead, she sipped her coffee haughtily, as if mocking him somehow.

"Whoa, slow down! You said it yourself. I was way too drunk to remember anything about last night. I'm sorry about that, and I apologize if I hurt you..."

_'Oh.' _The words ran through her head almost without her knowledge._ 'He's sorry? Is that all?'_

"You kind of should be..."

"What happened? Did something happen? If I did anything, I... I'm really sorry!" He stammered. Ace had begun to panic.

Robin stared him down, her eyes narrowing in annoyance. He was hanging on by a thread, at this point. She decided that blunt honesty was the only way to go. "How do I know I can trust you, Ace?"

And just like that, he decided to tell her everything...

"Then I'll just be honest. Or well... As honest as I _can_ be. I'm looking to meet up with my little brother here soon. His name is Monkey D. Luffy. I haven't seen him since we both were kids, but ever since I left on my own adventure, he's sort of followed in my footsteps. He does things his own way though, believe me."

_'There's that name again... That initial... D.' _The sudden realization dawned on her. And, things began to make a lot more sense.

"So that's why you can't leave yet?" She hesitantly nodded, urging him to continue. "And that's the reason you've come here?"

"Exactly," Ace nodded. "I left a message for him back on Drum Island. I'm not sure if he got it or not, but he most likely did. Word is, he's on his way here right now, along with his entire crew."

He felt like it would be better if he didn't tell her about Blackbeard. This chick seemed like she knew some people in high places, and he couldn't risk word getting out that he was looking for him. He felt like such a liar... But at least meeting up with Luffy would be a good enough excuse... Or so he hoped.

"You mean to tell me that he's your brother? _The_ Luffy? Captain of the Strawhat Pirates?"

She'd heard many rumors going around about this new Captain... Apparently, he was taking the world by storm. Rumor had it that he'd already defeated Captain Morgan, Captain Arlong, and many other powerful men. His name was already beginning to strike fear into people's hearts. And he hadn't even been sailing long, or so it was said.

"Yep. That's my little brother." He stated it so nonchalantly, as if it were the most casual thing in the world.

_'If... If Luffy is that strong, and yet it's his _little_ brother...' _She reasoned._ 'Then just how strong _is_ he?' _

"I don't have any idea what to say..." It took her several minutes to process this new information. "He's on his way here? To Alabasta? Right now? You're serious?" She was questioning everything.

"Yep, that's right. And I'm really looking forward to seeing him again."

"What sort of business could he possibly have here?" She wondered out loud.

"I really don't know, to tell you the truth... I guess because I asked him to meet me here?"

Robin nodded, seeming to accept his answer. He didn't appear to be lying. The small bits of information that he'd just given her alone would be more than enough to appease Crocodile. She didn't know exactly what it would mean to him or if he would even care, but she was able to see the potential danger there already.

Were the Strawhats coming to get rid of Crocodile? Was Luffy planning to overthrow him? To put an end to his tyranny? It might not even be something as simple as that... She wished she knew what his motives were, but that was something no one on the entire Grand Line seemed capable of knowing, not even his brother. The Strawhats were terrifying, and they were also known for being highly unpredictable. Each crew member was a nightmare, and their Captain was known for being the worst of all. He already had a reputation for being wild and spontaneous.

She shivered, involuntarily...

"Are you okay?" Ace put a comforting hand on her shoulder.

"I'm fine," Taking a deep breath, Robin knew what she had to do. "Thank you for explaining things to me. And don't worry about last night. We were both kind of drunk, and what happened has happened. It can't be helped. I'd love to chat more, but I actually need to get ready for work soon."

She placed her glass down on the coffee table, having finished it. She felt more awake and alert now. All she needed to do was get rid of him and get this news to her boss, before it was too late...

"Where do you work exactly? I forgot."

"At the Casino." She said, with a warm smile.

That alone would be too much information for him to know, according to Crocodile. But what the man didn't know wouldn't hurt him. ...Maybe.

Ace took his cue and got up to leave. Robin followed close after him, intent on locking the door as soon as he left. She couldn't afford to take any changes right now. They crossed the spacious room, as they talked.

"Ah, that's right. Well I'll leave you to it then. And I... I'm really very sorry about last night." He tipped his hat to her; a gesture was probably about as close to bowing as Firefist Ace was ever going to get.

"It means a lot to me just to know what you're doing here. Makes you a little more trustworthy, in my book. Apology accepted. Guess I'll be seeing you later."

With those words, it felt like a terrible weight had been lifted from her shoulders. Robin didn't feel afraid around him, but to her... That was all the more reason to worry. Such was the tension between them...

"One more thing..." He said, with a distinct amount of hesitation in his voice. "You should know... You don't have anything to be afraid of. I'm not going to hurt you."

"Forgive me," Robin sighed, with a roll of her eyes. "But I've heard that one too many times before."

Ace knew then that someone had clearly hurt her. He didn't know who, or how they'd done it, but they had. Big time. He wanted to know who had done such horrible things to her, who had damaged her in such a way... He wanted to close to the distance between them.

Standing in the door frame, he leaned in closer to her, expectantly. He was seeing if he could corner her again. Or maybe coax her into something...

"I make you nervous, don't I?"

It wasn't a question.

Robin moved swiftly to slam the door in his face. It was an instinctive reaction, almost involuntary. Then she slouched against it, with a weary sigh. She knew he heard her lock the door, before walking away. 

* * *

><p>As soon as she'd picked up the phone that day, her fingers trembling, her heart beat quickening, she'd known what she was in for. But she knew she had to tell him. She'd given Ace ample time to leave before even daring to make any calls.<p>

"Hello?" Her boss answered his Den Den Mushi, just like always. She could hear him taking a long puff from what she presumed was a cigar.

"Sir Crocodile... It's Miss All Sunday. I have something to discuss with you."

"No need for formalities, sweets. What's the deal?"

"It would probably be better if I were to deliver it in person," Robin breathed into the phone, clearly exasperated. "You know, just in case. I have some information for you, and it's urgent this time."

"Very good. Come see me any time your sweet little heart wants."

_Click._ He hung up immediately.

She felt like she probably shouldn't tell him right away... She needed to figure out what to do first. But if there was one man she was completely loyal to, it was Crocodile. One might say that he had his hook in her, so to speak. He had many things that he could hold over her, and many ways to double-cross her, should the opportunity ever arise. All she had to do was give him a reason. Withholding information is all it would take, and once he found out...

Robin didn't want to think about it. She had such little choice in the matter. She was forced to tell him everything she knew. If not, the consequences could be dire. She only hoped that she wouldn't have to hurt Ace in the process... She didn't honestly know whether she would be able to manage that or not. And the thought both intrigued and infuriated her.

Deciding it would be best if she didn't waste any time, she changed into something probably even less suitable for going out in public, and went to see him. 

* * *

><p>It wasn't long until she arrived. Robin found her boss awaiting her arrival, the golden hook that comprised his left hand gleaming in the light from the giant aquarium in his office. That alone might have been enough to intimidate most people. After the last few days, she was almost relieved to see him again.<p>

She strode up to him, in the typical outfit that she used for working in the Casino. It was a cowgirl themed skirt with a purple corset that laced up the front. Lots of tassels hung everywhere, and it showed plenty of skin. It satisfied most of the customers and it was just the thing for being able to get her way. At least she caught the male patrons ogling her often enough to appease her boss. She hated it, but at least they couldn't touch her while she was here. They only knew that she was fairly close to the owner. Most probably assumed she was his girlfriend. _Hah!_ How wrong they were... Recently, she'd even found a matching purple hat, which reminded her of Ace's, to wear with it to complete the effect. She was clearly losing her mind...

"I trust you have something significant to tell me, if it couldn't be mentioned over the phone?" Crocodile's tone sounded amused.

His eyebrows hung in their typical expression of sadness. It was resemblant of the vague sadness that seemed to always exude from him. He waited patiently for her answer, taking a deep drag from what she knew was an expensive cigar... It was made by his own company, after all. He could have as many as he wanted.

_'Sometimes I wish he'd smoke himself to death already...' _She certainly didn't lament the fact that their adventure would probably be over soon.

Her heeled boots clicked across the floor, as she made her way over to him. "I finally managed to weasel some more information out of the recent target."

"And just how did you manage to _get_ this information?"

"He told me directly. I... I gained his trust and he told me. That's all."

Her response was met with a sinister smirk. "That wouldn't have anything to do with you spending some time in Ace's hotel room last night, would it?"

_'How did he know?' _Robin gasped, finally understanding. _'...Agatha! That bitch must have told him everything!'_

It only made sense. Sir Crocodile had more than enough money from his criminal organization to be able to coerce information from nearly anyone... She would have to be sure to cover things up better next time. She didn't want anyone to get the wrong idea.

"Actually, that doesn't have anything to do with it, we-"

"Your blushing and the look on your face would suggest otherwise." To her annoyance, he rose from his seat, walking over to her, slowly ambushing his prey... "My, my... I never would've guessed that a Pirate would be your type."

Robin became aware that there was no one else in the room. It shouldn't have come as a surprise, after all, Crocodile always was a secretive man. He had to be. He couldn't afford for anyone to know about Baroque Works. Not yet... Right now, all she could manage was to was glare at him, wordlessly.

"No need to lie to me, doll... I know why he must have told you. I have to say, I didn't expect you to go to such lengths for the sake of a mission. Your loyalty has always been impressive... Especially lately." His right hand brushed away a few stray strands of her from her face, before running them slowly, sensually, down her cheek. "Might there be a reason for that?"

Her eyes widened. Without warning, Robin turned, her arms going into her signature attack pose... Phantom limbs sprouted up along his back, grabbing his arms and neck. She held him in place, her eyes ice cold and unforgiving.

"_Fuck you!_" She spat. "Nothing even happened! _Alright?!_ And if it _did_, it wouldn't be any of your damn business!"

_He'd hit a sore spot. _

"It's obvious that I've said a little too much..." Crocodile didn't even have to move. His body slowly disintegrated, the tiny grains of sand falling out of her grasp with ease.

At least he went back to his seat and left her alone after that. At the moment, that was enough to appease her. Due to his powers, he would always managed to elude her. Robin made sure to stand just out of his reach. There was no telling what he might do. The man was as unpredictable as his reputation would indicate.

"Do you want to know what this news actually is, or not?" She sighed, impatiently, rubbing her temples.

"Fine, fine... What do you have for me?"

She finally had his attention focused back on work. Good.

"Have you ever heard of the Strawhat Pirates?"

"Yes," His grin widened. "What about them?"

"He claims they're coming to Alabasta." She watched him to see what he would do, but could read no change in his expression, nor in his body language. "I don't know exactly what they're planning, but I'm worried it could have something to do with the oncoming war. If they get involved, it won't be good."

"So let me get this straight... The Strawhat Pirates are coming here. And they're on their way here? As in, _right now?_ That the gist of it?"

"Yes."

"How would he know anything about it? Isn't he second in command on Whitebeard's crew? So what would that have to do with the Strawhats? I need to know how they're connected."

"He is," Robin nodded. "As far as I know... He claims the Captain is his brother."

"My, my... That certainly is interesting. Any idea why they're coming to Alabasta?"

"My understanding is that Ace recently visited Drum Island. He left a message there for Luffy, who picked it up and set course for Alabasta after finding out his brother would be waiting here. They must have picked here because it was on route to wherever they're headed. It is still possible that they'll merely pass through harmlessly."

"So that's where they're headed from... Alright," Crocodile removed the cigar from his lips, deliberately snuffing it out in the sleek black ashtray he kept on his desk. "We'll need to take care of them. I didn't factor their presence into my plans. But what do you think?"

As much as she hated to admit it, he was probably right. She still wanted to convince him to leave the Strawhats alone if she could. After all, it was Ace's brother. She knew it would hurt him if anything were to happen. Things would be especially bad if Crocodile ever got hold of them.

"From the things I've heard about them, it would likely be a mistake to underestimate them. But I really don't think they will do any harm. They haven't even been sailing for that long, to begin with..."

"Go on..." He purred, immediately lighting another cigar and blowing a small puff of smoke in her general direction.

"That's it." Robin shrugged. "There's no more to tell."

"Is that all?" He chuckled. "Well, it does concern me, but... I'm sure you can handle it."

"What- me, I... Well, sir... I just-"

"Don't act so surprised! I've got the big meeting with my Officer Agents coming up soon. I can't afford to leave, at the moment. You've never let me down before. I know I can count on you to get the job done."

"And what would you have me do?" She raised a defiant eyebrow. "Openly oppose them and fight an entire Pirate crew all on my own?"

"No... Don't kill them yet. Try distracting them. I'm sure the Captain should fall for that killer bod-" He halted in his speech immediately, when he saw her strike a defensive pose. "I'm kidding, just kidding! Look, just go and _persuade them_ to turn back or go a different way. Divert their attention away from Alabasta. Maybe warn them about the impending war? I'm sure they won't want to get caught up in all this mess. They can always find somewhere else to meet up for their little reunion. If anything gets in your way though, blow it up. Especially if you see any ships that aren't ours or the Strawhats'. I want you to send them a message that says we mean business."

"Alright, but-"

"There's no time to waste, and I am not repeating myself." He stated, becoming very business-like all of a sudden. "You've been given your orders. Now go."

"Very well, sir."

Just as Robin turned to leave, she sensed a swift movement behind her. She turned just in time to catch the eternal log pose that Crocodile had tossed to her. It seemed to be pointing insistently in just one direction.

"And take this!" He called. "Give it to them. It'll take them to some bullshit coordinates that I've programmed it to. Don't worry, it's not a real island. But it should keep them away from Alabasta long enough. Maybe they'll decide to make good use of it... _If _they know what's good for them!"

"Alright. I'll report back when I'm finished."

"No need. Go home and get some rest. You're gonna need it!" He chuckled.

She left him there, to dwell in his wicked laughter all alone... 

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><p><strong>AN: Well, here it is, in all it's terrible-ness! xD I never know what to say in author notes anymore... Hopefully this chapter was okay, I feel like it was a little rusty, but well... Things are moving along now, at least? Please don't hate me! D; **

**-Kaline**


	12. Chapter 12

**Renegade Hearts**  
><strong>by Kaline Reine<strong>

**Disclaimer: I do not own One Piece or any of the characters/settings. This is just a fanfiction story. I claim nothing.**

**WARNINGS: This story contains (or may contain) graphic adult content and language, explicit sex scenes which may or may not be consensual, violence, cursing, dark and/or adult themes, etc. I do not censor my writing, but I do warn people about the subject matter and potential subject matter. Not all of my stories contain such things, but many of them will. So if you don't like that kind of thing or can't handle it, then I suggest not reading this story. You have been warned. **

**In other words, children please avert your eyes. Thank you. (I doubt this particular story is going to be all that bad, but I tend to get carried away sometimes, so you never know.)**

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><p><strong>Chapter 12:<strong>

Robin had already gathered the explosives, as he'd wished, and she'd gone to find the boat she would need. She went to a secluded spot along the beach, to find the place where she'd hidden the rowboat from Mr. Two's ship. It wasn't great, but it should suffice for this short trip.

There was a larger ship waiting for her just offshore, at Nanohana. It belonged to some of the Billions that worked under her. She was certain this particular crew had the utmost respect for her. Crocodile had ordered all Billions to obey her without question, under the guise of Mr. Zero. They would have no choice but to listen to her. If they harassed her, she'd already made up her mind that she would snap their necks and toss them overboard in an instant. She was fed up with today already. One more thing is all it would take.

The problem was not how she would go about this mission, but rather... Robin wasn't sure if she should really go through with this or not... She'd been given orders to coerce the Strawhats into not coming to Alabasta, but instead to avoid it entirely. And she was loyal to Crocodile, sure. But at the end of the day, all she really had to go by was her own heart. And right now, it was against this whole plan.

Her hands shook, as she summoned her devil fruit powers. Her extra arms and hands worked fast to clear away the vines and underbrush from the vessel. The oars were still in it. That was good.

She was a nervous wreck. Robin felt like she was at war with herself. Part of her wanted to do as she was told and do her part in helping Baroque Works take over Alabasta. Her heart, however, had different ideas; as hearts often do.

The other part of her wanted nothing more than to openly defy Crocodile, and to help Ace accomplish his goals instead. She would gain nothing from it, of course, and she knew that... But it was just something she wanted to do, if for no other reason than simply to see the delighted look on his face when he succeeded. Even if she didn't get to see it, just knowing it was there would be good enough. The thought instantly conjured up a smile onto her face.

Hesitantly, she tossed the explosive charges into the rowboat. Her extra hands shoved and pulled the vessel across the sand, leaving a faint trail behind, all the way to the water's edge. She walked alongside it. The ocean seemed to beckon her, urging her onward, pulling her in like someone curling their finger in a 'come hither' motion...

After thinking it over, she decided that trying to reason with the Strawhats was indeed her best option. It was incredibly selfish of her, she knew that... But Robin realized something, just then. It finally clicked.

_'If Luffy doesn't show up,'_ She thought. _'That means Ace will continue to wait for him. They obviously have no way of communicating directly, or they would have already done so... Ace could end up staying here even longer.' _

For some reason, she liked the thought of that. Maybe he was bad news... But something about him just intrigued her. Besides, if he stayed, that would give them more time to work things out and she could-

"What the fuck am I thinking?" Her own words silenced her overbearing thoughts quite nicely. "What am I even doing here...? Sending one person out against a small army of mysterious Pirates, and who knows what else... It's crazy. Even with the help of the Billions fleet, this is still insane."

Yet, she put one foot in the boat, and waited for the waves to take her... And then she started to row. The one good thing about being in such a small boat was that it would make her more difficult to spot. She might even be able to sneak on the Strawhats' ship and off again completely undetected, if she were lucky.

She was careful to avoid actually touching the water. That would be a deadly mistake for someone like her. The ocean hated her and she damn well knew it. Some people in her position might have been afraid of the ocean... But not her. Robin was the type to face anything in life head on, without fear or regrets.

As she rowed herself out to sea, she could only laugh, in that strange laugh of hers. "Dereshishishi... Dereshishishi..." It was a habit she'd picked up from an old friend.

This was just like old times. 

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><p>It took a couple hours of fast rowing, which was made easier by the help of her extra limbs, but Robin finally reached a small fleet of ships. Each of them bore the Baroque Works insignia on their massive sails. As she'd hoped, they weren't too far off shore.<p>

She also spotted the Strawhats' ship and an unknown ally ship. It looked to belong to Alabasta. They had most likely come from Drum Island, given their tragectory and coordinates.

_'Huh. Ace really _was_ telling the truth...' _

She noticed what was obviously a decoy ship sailing away from the main one... Their plan was all too obvious.

"So, they've noticed me after all..." She mused out loud, knowing there was no one around to hear her.

She took out a spyglass that she'd packed, making sure to check the Merry first. It looked just like the pictures she'd been shown, with the Strawhat jolly roger and sheep's head mast. She did indeed see the Captain with his signature straw hat and some other people, most likely his crew mates, aboard it.

There was a scrawny blond guy in a classy suit smoking a cigarette, a green haired guy with several swords, a scantily clad redhead, a strange looking creature with antlers and a blue nose, a weird guy with curly hair and a huge nose, and their Captain, wearing his red shirt and famous straw hat. There was no doubt about it. It was definitely them. She recognized several of them from wanted posters.

And Princess Vivi was with them! That wretch... Robin knew her best as Miss Wednesday. She'd betrayed Baroque Works and Crocodile had sent some Agents after her, not that it had done much good. The blue haired girl was a spy, and one of their main targets on top of it. Robin didn't expect her to be traveling with these Pirates. This was interesting...

She noticed something else, when peering through the spyglass. A strange man with large white curls in his hair, and a short stature. Robin recognized him as Mr. Eight but she knew his real name was Igaram. He'd been let into their organization as Miss Wednesday's accomplice, but he'd betrayed them too. He was actually a servant of the King's. He appeared to be steering the stray decoy ship, in an attempt to lure them away from the Princess. It caused her to wonder how this would all play out.

Her target was still the Going Merry. No other ships could deter her. But she was willing to make a brief pit-stop in order to take care of any potential hazards first. Rowing herself toward the decoy ship, she ascended onto the back of the deck, using her devil fruit abilities to raise herself onto it. Hastily, she planted the explosive charges on board the decoy and left.

No one had seen her. _Perfect. _

The Billions must have seen the oncoming rowboat. They lowered down a line for her, which she gratefully took. It was easier than hoisting herself up with her extra arms.

"Welcome aboard, Miss All Sunday!" A female captain saluted her. She was a petite girl with brunette hair and strange hazel eyes.

"Thank you," She bowed to the girl. "Just bring up the rowboat, I'll need it later."

"Yes ma'am!"

"That ship's a decoy." Robin pointed to the one sailing away from them toward Nanohana. "So pursuing it would be pointless. However, you should probably open fire on it anyway. Try not to actually harm anyone."

"Would you care to command us?" The young woman was all smiles.

"No, that won't be necessary. Just have them ready the cannons. While you're opening fire on that one, I'll be on my way to the real Going Merry. I want to have a word with those Pirates. Just wait for my signal in case I need backup. Once you strike the other boat, cease fire. The explosive charges I've planted will take care of it from there."

"Wow, you've thought of everything... Distracting them with their own distraction, I love it!" She blinked, turning to address her crew. "Alright, you heard the lady! Prepare the cannons! Get ready to fire at that decoy ship, on my order!"

"Aye aye, captain!" Many of them called, while others cheered and shouted. They seemed eager for a battle.

While everyone scurried to do as they were told, Robin readied herself to leave once again. The female Captain was correct. She would make use of their own decoy in order to distract them. If her subordinates pulled this off correctly, she'd be able to slip onto their boat unnoticed.

As soon as she heard them call that the cannons were ready, Robin raised her hand, and then lowered it. The Captain of the vessel did the same, and the next thing she knew, the Billions' cannons were firing. They shot one into the water, but quickly adjusted their aim and tried again. The next shot was successful, and the charges went off just as planned.

The person steering the decoy was flung overboard. The charges were planted in such a way that it had thrown Igaram far from the wreckage. She decided it would be in her own best interest not to pursue him. Robin could have tried to destroy them, most likely successfully, but Crocodile wanted to avoid getting anyone else riled up anyway.

Right now, her only focus was on the Strawhats. She'd merely been given orders to deter them. She was to distract them or get them to turn around. And she knew just how to do that...

On board the Going Merry, there was chaos. The entire crew was panicking and yelling at each other about getting to their destination in time or rescuing the Princess' servant and which should take priority over the other. After a few minutes of listening to them panic, and seeing everyone run around on the ship like chickens with their heads cut off, she finally cleared her throat and got their attention.

"Excuse me," She purred, finally announcing her presence. "I couldn't help but overhear that you're headed to Alabasta?"

Robin sat on the banister, crossing her legs and leaning back nonchalantly. She didn't want to impose an atmosphere of fear onto them. It was important that they trust her, or at least give her the benefit of a doubt.

"What's it to you?" The swordsman was the first to speak.

"I'm here to speak with your Captain." She clarified, waiting for any of them to dare make a move.

She noticed he was drawing his sword. Not good. The others were getting ready for a fight too, if their nervous glances and defensive stances were anything to go by... Other began to ready their various weapons too. Robin was just getting ready to use her powers, when the man in charge waved their weapons down and walked over to her. For a moment, he just looked up at her, his expression fierce and unreadable.

"I'm the Captain," Luffy spoke up.

None of the other crew members said anything. They had no right to, for this was a conversation between their Captain and an invader. They simply stood by, ready to defend him if needed. It surprised Robin that they were all so courteous. Everyone seemed to move out of the way of Luffy. It was clear that they all had massive respect for him, though she was unsure why.

"I know who you are."

"Who are you and what do you want?" He demanded, getting right to the point.

"I'm just a friend," Robin lied. "And I'm here to give you some... friendly advice."

The man in the straw hat just shook his head. "You're our enemy." She liked his bluntness.

"Actually, I'm here trying to help you... The country you're headed to is about to break out into a full-blown war. It's going to be really dangerous in Alabasta soon, so I wouldn't recommend it. Just thought I'd warn you. Take this!"

She tossed him the eternal pose that was given to her by Crocodile. He caught it, having to stretch a lot to do it. He seemed very limber for a sailor.

"What is this thing?" Luffy only stared at it, confused.

"It's an eternal log pose. They're something you'll need to navigate the waters of the Grand Line. I take it you've never seen one before?" He shook his head no, and she continued... "They're useful tools for finding your way. Once magnetized in tune with a certain place, the needle will always point back to that place. In other words, it's set to take you to a certain island. Specifically, one that's outside of Alabasta. It's fairly peaceful there and you shouldn't run into any trouble. It'll save you a lot of time too."

The young Captain paused, carefully examining the strange new object that he now held. It struck him as odd that she'd just give him something so valuable like this... And then it clicked.

"Where will it lead us exactly?" He asked, after several minutes of serious contemplation. Oddly, he hadn't asked anyone else on his crew what they thought about it. He knew they would listen to his orders, whatever they were.

_'Come on, Robin... Think of something!' _

"It will take you to..." She thought for a moment... "Nanimonai Island."

"Hmm..." Luffy seemed to briefly consider her offer. "I've never heard of that place. But I don't think we should listen to you. You're our enemy, so there's _no way_ I'd let you choose our course!"

He clenched his fist, effectively breaking the glass that surrounded the log pose. There was a brief moment of silence. Collective gasps passed through his crew mates, but their visitor maintained her calm demeanor.

"What makes you think I'm an enemy?"

"You sank my friend's ship. That makes you one."

The mysterious woman with the piercing blue eyes only smiled. It was all she could manage right now. She decided it wouldn't hurt to just own up to what she'd done. Crocodile had said to send a clear message, after all, and she certainly was. In the world of Pirates, nothing was clearer than sinking a ship. Just then, she seemed to have a slight change of heart though. There was no way she could defeat this man. She could tell just by the way he moved, just by looking at him. Now that she'd met the infamous Strawhat Luffy, she felt like she knew a lot more about him.

Robin wanted to be able to laugh freely; carefree, like she used to... And she would wait patiently for that day to come. It was the simple way he looked at things, the way Luffy had this sort of child-like ideology, this straightforward way of attacking life head on, which had caused her to smile. She couldn't help it. He was definitely Ace's brother, there was no doubting that.

"Alright..." Robin nodded, standing up. It was obvious that the rest of his crew mates thought she was likely to attack. She leaned across the banister, making sure he got a good look at her cleavage, as she did so. Luffy seemed oblivious, just as she'd predicted. "I'll have to accept your choice. Do as you wish, then. Just don't say I didn't warn you."

"I won't." He stated simply.

"I look forward to seeing you... around."

And then she vanished.

"Hey, lady! _Oiiiiii!_" The ship's Captain called after her. "Where do you think you're going?!"

"Nowhere special." She smirked, dropping off over the side of the deck.

Robin was kind of surprised they hadn't opened fire on her. She landed elegantly in her small rowboat, and paddled back to the side of the Billions' ship she'd come from. They would take her back to Nanohana and from there, she could make her way back to Rainbase. She needed to do some other work in Nanohana first though...

She reached the edge of the Billions' ship she'd been on only minutes ago and they hoisted her up.

"Let's head back to shore," She told the female Captain.

"But we didn't kill them! And their ship is still in tact!" The girl complained.

"_I said_ we're going back..."

"Right," The girl called to the rest of her crew. "Set sail for Nanohana!"

For the duration of the trip, Robin had stated that she wanted to be alone. Dealing with all of these people wasn't helping her mood any. She'd gone off to the far end of the deck to be alone with her thoughts, although she didn't know if that was a good thing or a bad thing at this point. Things weren't always that black and white.

Robin watched the waves gurgling up from behind the ship, the sea foam curling around them, forming patterns across the deep gray blue. All she could do was think about everything that had just happened... She hadn't completely botched her mission, but she wouldn't exactly call it a glaring success either.

She knew her boss would have wanted her to destroy the Strawhats the moment they refused to follow along with his little plan. It was rather hastily thrown together, in her opinion. It was no surprise that it hadn't worked.

Robin tried to lie to herself, but there were several reasons she needed the Strawhats to be kept alive. The only reason she wanted to convince them to leave was to potentially prolong Ace's stay in Alabasta. But otherwise? She couldn't have cared less... There seemed to be no deterring them anyway. Maybe it just wasn't meant to be. The only reason she'd really let them go, in the end, was because...

Because it would help Ace. It would make him happy to see his brother again. She could only imagine the smile cracking across his freckled porcelain face...

And it was true that they could potentially form strong allies, if she played her cards right. She would need all the help she could get, if things went the way she thought they were going to. If Crocodile betrayed her, she would need people on her side; people she could count on. She didn't like disobeying him, but people did fail missions from time to time.

In any case, nothing could be done about it now. They already didn't trust her. And rightfully so... She knew she might have to stab Crocodile in the back, if he turned on her.

_'Hm. Isn't that what I always do? Stab them in the back and run away?' _

For as long as she could remember, Robin had wanted to die.

She wanted to go out fighting, though. She could never allow herself to give up on everything so easily. She'd promised it to her mother, and to Saul, the kind giant who had sacrificed himself to save her life when she was only a child. It was something she would never be able to forget. She'd promised both of them that she would keep fighting to stay alive, no matter what that meant. She couldn't go back on her word, Robin was far too strong for that. To her, it would be a desecration of their memories...

The only hope she had left was that someday, someone might come along who could kill her, to do away with her for good. It wouldn't be her fault if she was powerless to stop them; if she were to be consumed by her opponent's sheer strength.

Robin was broken from her melancholic daze when she heard the Strawhats' Captain yelling at someone. She checked her spyglass to see him flailing about on their ship. He and the long nosed one had two fishing poles in the water. She noticed the Princess' duck was tied to the end of them. Were they using it as bait? These Pirates would try anything...

Dangling on the end of the line was someone very familiar. They were pulling him onto their ship. Captain Bon Kurei, better known as Mr. Two, had successfully infiltrated the Going Merry, most likely under the guise of a friendly passerby.

_'Perfect,' _She smiled, closing the spyglass. _'Just as planned...'_

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><p><strong>AN: Just so you know... I am aware this is nothing like what happened in Canon, and it's not supposed to be. It's just very loosely based on that. So this will kind of follow the story line, but with many changes too. I was getting a lot of questions about that, so I hope that clears up any confusion. Hope you like it! And see you at the next chapter. c; **

**-Kaline**


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